Coney Island's Luna Park will debut a brand new high-thrill roller coaster this summer 2014. Starting Memorial Day Weekend, park guests will be able to ride the park's first-ever vertical lift steel roller coaster, The Thunderbolt.
The new Thunderbolt roller coaster will sit in the same spot where the original wooden Thunderbolt was located from the 1920's through the 1980's. It will be the first roller coaster in the are since 1910 to send riders upside-down in a vertical loop and will be the first custom roller coaster since 1927, when the Cyclone was built.
The Thunderbolt, which will be built by Zamperla S.p.A and operated by Central Amusement International, operator of Luna Park, will reach speeds of 55 miles per hour and will stand 115 feet tall.The ride lasts about two minutes and includes a 90-degree vertical drop, followed by a 100 foot vertical loop, a 80 foot zero-g roll, a 112 degree over-banked turn, a unique heartline dive, a corkscrew, and several airtime hills. The new ride will join the vast lineup which includes the Cyclone Roller Coaster, Boardwalk Flight, Coney Island Raceway, Air Race, Water Mania and more.
"Luna Park in Coney Island is reaching even greater heights with the addition of the powerful Thunderbolt Roller Coaster," Alberto Zamperla, President and CEO of Zamperla S.p.A. said in a press release. "We are thrilled to welcome this exhilarating new attraction to our repertoire of rides that are sure to please every type of coaster enthusiast. The Thunderbolt's many twists and turns, and 100-foot vertical loop, will thrill visitors from near and far, as we continue to commit ourselves to the revitalization of our beloved Coney Island."
The ride will have three cars which can hold up to nine people east. It will be located near the historic B&B Carousell and the new Steeplechase Plaza.
"Luna Park in Coney Island is New York's Playground and we are committed to making sure that kids, in age and at heart, have something to look forward to when they visit," said Valerio Ferrari, President of Central Amusement International, operator of Luna Park. "The Thunderbolt will give these thrill seekers the chance to experience a 'loop' coaster in New York City for the first time in over a century, and our entire team is eager to unveil this revolutionary coaster to the world."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
