3. Coney Island Rides
The Parachute Jump, the Wonder Wheel and The Cyclone are all New York City landmarks designated in 1988 and 1989 as symbols of the amusement industry at Coney Island. The Parachute Jump was created for the 1939 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. At 262-feet tall, the Parachute Jump was surpassed in height only by the iconic Trylon. After the fair, it was moved to Coney Island where it raised and dropped thrill seekers until 1968.
The colorful Wonder Wheel opened in Coney Island on Memorial Day in 1920 and is now the oldest continuously operating ride at Coney Island. The Cyclone opened in 1927 and is the second-steepest wooden roller coaster in the world. The designation report includes a quote from Charles Lindbergh describing his experience on the coaster: “A ride on Cyclone is a greater thrill than flying an airplane at top speed.”