Is there a park more defined by one ride?
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park is one of several amusements at Coney Island.
This small amusement park features the iconic Wonder Wheel plus an extensive collection
of kiddie rides and a handful of adult rides.
The rare Ferris Wheel is the heart and soul of this park, but is it worth visiting?
Find out in this review of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park.
The Wonder Wheel originally opened in 1920 as a standalone attraction.
This 150 foot or 46 meter tall Ferris Wheel was notable not only for its height, but also
for its unique gondolas.
This was an eccentric Ferris Wheel, so 2/3 of the gondolas were able to swing or roll
along a track as the wheel rotated.
Herman Garms originally owned the wheel.
Then in 1955, Garms expanded the property to include the Spook-a-rama dark ride.
Around the same time in 1950, a small kiddie amusement park was built next door named Ward’s
Kiddie Park.
Deno Vourderis set up a concession stand at Ward’s Kiddie Park in 1970 and in 1976,
he purchased the small amusement park.
But he had eyes on the Wonder Wheel as well.
When Garms wanted to retire in 1983, Vourderis excitedly purchased the Wonder Wheel for $250,000
and then spent an additional $250,000 to restore the wheel.
The entire property was then named Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park.
In 1989, the Wonder Wheel was named a New York City designated landmark, further cementing
the wheel’s future.
Over the next 3 decades, the park would expand the kiddie section and add some adult rides
behind the wheel.
But the park’s largest future expansion occurred in 2021.
The park purchased the plot formerly occupied by a series of independent rides and added
Phoenix, a Vekoma suspended coaster that would finally give the park a roller coaster that
could be enjoyed by all ages.
While Deno Vourderis has since passed away, his two sons continue to operate the park
to this day.
Most of the amusements at Coney Island are part of the Zamperla-owned Luna Park, but
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park remains awkwardly sandwiched in the middle of that park.
Many guests confusedly think Luna Park and Deno’s are one and the same because of this
weird set-up.
The kiddie rides are all placed on the upper deck at boardwalk level.
This is where the main entrance is located, just a stone’s throw from the beach.
This section feels like a carnival.
Rides are in super close proximity to each other and many sport vibrant paint schemes.
There’s a lot of kinetic energy up here, especially with the Wonder Wheel in the background.
You then access the Wonder Wheel by heading down a ramp.
The remaining adult rides are positioned on the lower deck at street level on a midway
behind the Wonder Wheel.
This section is super narrow, which isn’t fun on busier days.
Deno’s then has multiple different entrances and exits that spill out onto the street.
Admission is free and then guests can pay-per-ride.
Unfortunately, this park has no pay-one-price wristband.
Kiddie rides cost 5 credits each and adult rides cost between 8 and 10 credits.
Then each credit costs roughly $1, so this park can quickly add up if you want to ride
multiple attractions.
The pricing scheme does keep lines and crowds manageable though.
I’ve visited on both weekdays and weekends.
Most rides are walk-ons and then the longest line I’ve ever encountered was a 15ish minute
wait for the Wonder Wheel.
Operations can be dependent upon the day and crowd level.
The Wonder Wheel and Spook-a-rama load quickly, but the operators for the other attractions
sometimes like to hold the ride until more people arrive.
And then on quiet days, the operators for the kiddie rides may be on a rotation.
Moving onto the ride lineup, the star is easily the Wonder Wheel.
This is the world’s best Ferris Wheel between the amazing views of Coney Island, the Atlantic
Ocean, and New York City’s skyscrapers.
And then you have the super unique swinging gondolas.
While they don’t move an incredible amount, it’s psychologically thrilling given the
visuals and age of the wheel.
When you enter the queue line, you can choose to ride the stationary or swinging cars and
I wholeheartedly recommend the swinging cars since that’s what makes this wheel unique.
I go into more detail in a separate review, but there’s a reason this is a city landmark.
Beyond the Wonder Wheel, there aren’t many other adult flat rides.
You have an ok Chance Thunderbolt Himalaya, a Tilt-a-Whirl, and a set of bumper cars.
If you want bumper cars, you’re better off visiting the amazing Eldorado Auto Scooter
just around the corner and if you want adult flat rides, you’re better off visiting Luna
Park.
The kiddie rides are clustered on the upper deck at boardwalk level.
And that includes not one, but two different kiddie coasters.
Sea Serpent is the better of the two.
This is a mildly rowdy Miler kiddie coaster.
The tamer of the two is Skyflyer, a SBF Visa micro coaster that gives a zillion laps.
The lone adult coaster is the newly opened Phoenix.
This Vekoma suspended coaster is extremely reridable between the open trains and smooth
trackwork.
This compact coaster has some forceful turns, particularly the 2 overbanks in the middle
of the ride.
I have a separate review going into more detail, but this is the best family coaster at Coney
Island.
Then you also have two dark rides.
Stop the Zombies is a chaotic Triotech shooting dark ride.
If you’ve never tried one of these, they’re pretty fun.
The motion base, 3D effects, and responsive guns make for a fun time.
The better of the two dark rides is Spook-a-rama.
Built by the Pretzel Amusement Ride Company, this haunted house is great.
The vehicles travel sideways through the layout, which conceals the upcoming effects.
The attraction has some rather large animatronics, some of which get really close to you, and
then there are some modern screen effects towards the end as well.
But this ride is about more than just the visuals.
There are some shocking air blasts and spiderweb effects that graze your neck.
Then the audio sometimes comes from behind you, which can send shivers down your spine.
One other attraction to note is that the park often has fireworks on Friday nights in the
summer, which is a real crowd-pleaser.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park has pretty long hours.
It’s not uncommon to see the park open until 11 or midnight on busier days.
For food, you’re better off visiting one of the restaurants on the boardwalk.
Deno’s has just a few food stands with your typical fair food.
One final note is parking.
If you’re lucky, you can find cheaper street parking.
But usually, I pay $20 to park at the Brooklyn Cyclones lot.
This lot is well-lit and located just off the boardwalk near the Parachute Tower.
So do I recommend Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park?
Coney Island as a whole is a must for any amusement park fan.
Luna Park is the main course with the Cyclone, Thunderbolt, and flat rides, but it’s worth
spending an hour at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park to experience the famous Ferris Wheel,
the underrated Spook-a-rama dark ride, and the Phoenix roller coaster.
These 3 rides cost $28 and then it costs an extra $10 to add both kiddie coasters as well.
So those are my thoughts on Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park at Coney Island.
What are your thoughts on this New York City amusement park?
Have you been there?
I would love to hear your thoughts down in the comments.
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