Luna Park at Coney Island

What's a summer without visiting an amusement park?

Annie and I had visited Coney Island Boardwalk more than 20 years ago, now it was time for a trip with Rayan and Diya. Our schedules aligned for a Friday day trip at the end of August.

Straight to the point on Accessibility: Having checked out their website section on Accessibility I was under the impression that I'd at least get to enjoy one ride with Annie. That was not the case! There is no single ride in all of Luna Park that a wheelchair user can get onto with their wheelchair, you have to be able to transfer from your wheelchair to the ride. We bought tickets the day of at Guest Services which worked out cheaper than if we bought them online, they were having a promotion of adding 40% more credits to whatever amount was purchased. I inquired about an Accessible Map showcasing the ramps and family restroom, none existed. I asked the staff about the accessible rides which she knew nothing of and told us we needed to ask at each ride! No need to express my disappointment. So what did we do for the day?

We started off at the Boardwalk, watching the ships in the ocean and just enjoying the peacefulness. We decided to try to accessible beach pathway to see how far into the ocean we’d get, not far since there were a few gaps in the pathway where Annie’s chair got stuck. That gave us a few laughs and hard work of pushing the wheelchair out!

Rayan and Diya of course had the most fun on various thrill rides. I even tried the Brooklyn Flyer, mind you I am not a rides person. I thought we were in the kiddie section and the flyer would only go about 3 feet up and stay there. Was I in for a surprise! Everyone got to laugh at me this time around. Annie and mom played their favorite which is Bob’s Fishin Hole where they were happy to snag a plush toy. We also spent a lot of time walking around and observing other riders. The funniest and most memorable of all was looking at two guests on the Electro Spin, going around in circle. First they had their eyes closed, then they tried to be brave and open their eyes ... you can see their facial reactions going from excited to nervous then to being sick. All of a sudden I spotted my mom and Annie running away, apparently they spotted what was hurling towards the crowd (vomit)! We could not stop laughing! By the end of our day, everyone (except me) scored a plush, had some good laughs and thrills and settled for ice-cream over funnel cakes.

A note on the staffs and crowd: Most of them were very friendly and helpful but unknowledgeable. We stopped at both carousels to ask if Annie can go on, they were willing to lift her out of the chair and onto the ride. Staffs are not allowed to assist guest in/out of their wheelchairs. At one of the games Rayan and Diya played, the staff was generous and allowed them to throw an extra few balls so they'd win those extra large plush balls. Personally, I think he wanted to see the children and Annie smiling over the big wins! Despite it being a Friday, we thought it would be very crowded however the weather was overcast all day probably causing lesser crowds.

Suggested Duration: 3 hours or more

Important Tips:
- If you cannot transfer from your wheelchair to a seat on any ride, you’re not able to enjoy any.
- If you are able to transfer to the rides, get the Guest Assistance Pass which allows the wheelchair user to wait at the front of the line until the rest of their party makes it.
- Accessible ramps are on Stillwell Avenue.
- Plenty of fast food options available with accessible seating area or feel free to bring your own to picnic on the boardwalk area.
- We used the public restroom which mom noted was too tight for Annie’s wheelchair. We were told there is a Family restroom by BB Carousell nearby Kensington Walk.
- The Boardwalk is wooden planks which was in good condition for the wheelchair.
- “They are planning to have one Carousel completely wheelchair accessible for the 2020 season. The Carousel will be able to actually accommodate a Wheelchair with the help of a lift and harness system.” per Luna Park.

Accessibility Information:
Click here for full details
Service animals are welcome

Location:
Luna Park in Coney Island
1000 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
https://lunaparknyc.com/

Schedule: Park hours vary and dependent on season and weather.

Admissions: Various options available online although we found it cheaper to purchase in person.

Public Transportation: B36 to Surf Avenue and West 8th St, or B68 to Neptune Avenue and West 8th St.

Important: Information is subject to change, please visit https://lunaparknyc.com/ for the most up to date details.
Oct 2024