As promised in my prior post about my visit to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York last weekend, I'm going to take you along on a photographic ride in one of the swinging cars on Deno's Wonder Wheel, located at 3059 West 12th Street. Actually, it will be my husband's photos that you'll see once the ride begins, as I'm a big chicken and couldn't open my eyes for most of the ride.
This painted informational poster was on the wall next to the line entrance. It presently costs $6 for one ride on the Wonder Wheel and you can choose to ride in either a stationary car or swinging car.
All of the white cars are stationary, and probably have the best view from the top as they stay on the outside track and do not swing. I wanted to take one of these cars but my husband, who is the daring one and loves all amusement rides, talked me into going on the swinging car. In the photo above we were just closed into our red car. There are two benches in the car, both facing forward, and it can easily hold four adults.
The line of people waiting to board.
We're going up! We already started swinging into the inside track so I handed my camera to my husband as I was scared and wanted to close my eyes.
We're approaching the top of the wheel.
A view of some of the three miles of Coney Island beaches as we approach the top of the wheel.
The car ahead of us is beginning to descend on the track on the top...we're next!
Our turn! Do you see the curved railing on each side? The car we are riding in will roll onto those railings and swing forward...
Here we go!
The whole car swings forward and for a second you almost feel like it is going to fall off the track! My husband did a great job of keeping the camera steady for this shot. I'm still covering my eyes and screaming.
Another view of the Coney Island amusements, beach, and the Atlantic Ocean as we swing on the Wonder Wheel!
On our way down again. You can also see some of the boardwalk in this photo. I was finally able to open my eyes for the second revolution of the ride.
The Wonder Wheel ride is really not a terrifying ride by today's standards and it was lots of fun. If you visit Coney Island it's worth a ride just to say you were part of its 90 year history!
photo source:Vintage Brooklyn
I received quite a few comments about how crowded the Coney Island beach appeared in my prior post so I thought you might enjoy seeing this vintage Coney Island photo from 1931. Brooklyn has always been a very populous borough of the city of New York, and presently there are over two and a half million people living here! The Coney Island beaches are owned and maintained by the city, there is no charge for their use, and they are easily accessible by train. The Coney Island beaches have always been a popular destination for New Yorkers on a hot summer day!
Because there is some yellow in the Wonder Wheel and some of the other Coney Island sights in this post I am adding this post to Alphabe Thursday's Rainbow Summer School event on Jenny Matlock's blog "Off On My Tangent" Today the color is yellow! Please visit Jenny and see the color yellow on hers, and all her participants' blogs!
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39 comments:
You are way, way braver than I am. :)
Wow......great pictures....I probably would have had my eyes shut too/ha
Wow---those are fabulous pictures, Pat. I would love to ride the Wonder Wheel.... Seeing the beach and area from 'up' there is awesome
I still cannot get over the number of people.... There's more people at that beach than probably live in my entire county!!!! ha
Great pictures... Thanks!!1
Hugs,
Betsy
I was shutting my eyes and screaming along with you, Pat! Oh my goodness I do so love amusement rides and parks but I still scream like the best of them even on something as "gentle" as Deno's Wonder Wheel seems to be!
Awww what a great ride though and what a view!! You were really high up! What an iconic wheel and I love that poster with the bare statistics. It does what it says on the tin.
Well I think you did wonderfully and your hubby took great pics!
Oh and thank you for the vintage pic of a really crowded beach! It's great that the beach continues to be clean after all that use! Well done the NYC! Hooray!
take care
x
Oh Pat - You are a stitch! But I wouldn't have had my eyes closed because I wouldn't have had your courage to take that ride. Your husband got some great shots. And I love seeing how the beach was REALLY crowded way back when.
I love these photos. That vintage shot of the beach is incredible - like a (really big) can of sardines LOL. I absolutely adore roller coasters, but Ferris wheels or anything that stays stationary and is high up gives me the heebie jeebies. Thank your hubby for being brave and taking those pictures!
I love the view from the top! I'm not so sure I would love a swinging car though! Great pic's.
I haven't been to Coney Island. If I happen to end up there, I'll probably stay on the ground. Something THAT old, well...
WoW! What a ride, I could not do that! I would be the one screaming non-stop! You are very brave! I loved the photo's though. Yes, I noticed that the beach was horribly crowded, too, but it looks like they have always been crowded, eh? I would not be one of the people on that beach, only a secluded beach would please me. Thanks for this wonderful picture ride.
And thank you so much for your sweet comment on my little grands and the little apron. Yes, he will love that pocket.
Hugs, Cindy S
You'd never have gotten me on it. Now my mom would if she were alive. I hated getting on a ferris wheel with her. It would stop at the top and she'd start swinging it. I don't like heights except in a jet. Then it doesn't seem like it.
Now that is one crowded beach and one that no one would ever find me on. Nor would I be in the Wonder Wheel, but I am impressed with its safety record. Your hubby did a super job with the camera!
OH MY! That was a fun post! I could almost feel myself going round! Woohoo! That beach picture is too much, though. And to think I acted like a whiney baby on my vacation this year because I thought the beach was too crowded.
Pat, you are much braver than me. I'm a YELLOW Belly when it comes to any kind of carnival ride. Loved seeing these photos. Give your husband a big thank you from me. ~ Sarah
I would hop on and go for a ride. I would love to ride on the Wonder Wheel!! Great photos! I just love your posts, they are always so much fun.
Loved it!!! I am so into rides! but that vintage photo was crazy... in fact my fiance's exact words when I showed him were "OH MY GAWD....shut up"! LOL Thanks for stopping my blog with your lovely comment!
Pictures of the view were amazing and scary lol. OMG, and I thought the picture of the beach you showed in your last post was crowded. That's nothing compared to the vintage. It looks like most people couldn't even sit down on the beach lol.
Well, now that you've been in that swing car I will never have to go on it - I've now seen the view from there! Thank you, Pat!
You may have been chicken to open your eyes but you went! You are brave! There is no way I would have gone near it! But a what a stupendous sight that is!
Such a joyful post. I would have to ride twice both swinging and stationary to say I did. My mom an dad rode the wonder wheel many times as young folks. This is part of my parents history. Sea Witch
Amazing post. I am so dizzy of heights that I cannot imagine myself doing this. Bravo! Great pictures.
It doesn't look like there is room for my blanket on this beach.
I'm afraid of heights, so I can't do ferris wheels and the like. I'm so glad you took pictures! Look how tiny the beach goers look!
LOVE the vintage photo of the beach!
Thanks you so much for the virtual ride we were able to take with you - ie. from the comfort of our own *grounded* seats! Fabulous shots too!
Have a great weekend,
LOLA:)
PS Mine this time is OVER HERE! Hope you can stop by.
Now, THAT'S a ferris wheel!!!
=)
Thanks for that ride through history! Very cool!
Pat, Thank you so much for your note. I had SO much fun in NY!!!! Of course I will be posting about our adventures, and there were many. When I was unable to connect with you, YES, I went shopping! A friend told me about a "warehouse" type store on E 55th and I shopped. Thankfully this place offered shipping. I'm planning to go back to this place again in a matter of months with an empty suitcase!
Hope you are doing well and hope you have a good time on your vacation!!!
Holy Cow! Thanks for the ride Pat!
The pics are fantastic! XOXO
Another friday's favorite! I love a ferris wheel.
Fabulous photos~
How exciting - and scary! My favorite ride used to be the Ferris Wheel, but now I prefer to have both feet on the ground.
You and your husband both should be congratulated on great photos. I especially love the vintage shot of Coney Island. I showed it, as well as the ones from the last post, to my sister. She wonders how people ever find their spots again if they go into the water.
Hi Pat! What a ride!!
Thanks for your comments at Blogtrotter Two, which is back to the sea now... Make the most of it and have a spectacular weekend ahead!
What a fun place to spend a late summer afternoon. You captured the excitement and feel of the whole boardwalk experience. Your mosaics on the previous post are so colorful and pretty!
I am a little scared of heights! I get white knuckles going over Monarch Pass! You were brave going up there and your sweet hubby even braver taking all those delightful photos. Thanks Anne
okay you are one brave chick! i dont like those types of rides, they scare me ... and wow that beach is crowded!
I have always been terrified of open heights. I could easily ride in the closed cars but open ferris wheels scare the bejesus out of me. I have, twice, done the hot air balloons at Napa and I even, once, went parasailing in Mexico. I drank quite a bit of tequila before doing that. I would have been screaming right along with you, had I been on the ferris wheel. Your hubby did great photos!
I won't ever go on a Ferris wheel with my husband ever ever again. he swings the cage on purpose. Our marriage cannot survive that. I would have opted for the stationary one. But oh my - the views. And the memories. I loved the long-ago photo of Coney Island. The beach was always a destination.
Trying to quell my vertigo so I can comment here.
Umm.... yea.
What an interesting an umm.... queasy post on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's Rainbow Summer School!
I'd be screaming along with you, Pat!
I love seeing this perspective of Coney Island. I made Coney dog sauce over the weekend...although, had I eaten it and then ridden the Wonder Wheel I suspect the people below me would not have enjoyed their ride quite as much.
Thanks for a great link!
A+
Whenever we get in a crowd and just aren't moving I'll turn to my husband and say, "This is like Coney Island." I think I got that expression from my mom. I've never been to Coney Island and at first thought it wasn't as crowded as I imagined when I saw your pictures until you showed the 1931 picture! That's probably what my mom remembered over the years. By the way, I wouldn't have opened my eyes either! I enjoyed the tour of Coney Island.
You are a brave, brave soul!!! The pictures are fabulous and I thank you for sharing them because there is no way I would be able to make that ride. You are so brave!!!
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