Just this past weekend, Lex and I decided to venture out to the brand-new Thunderbolt (which also happened to be my 450th credit) at Luna Park, Coney Island:
Our first ride up was the Brooklyn Flyer, which happens to offer one of the best views on a ride that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed on the ride, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.
We both had already been on The Tickler and wanted to keep our lunches down, so we skipped it. The creepy face is still worth a picture.
We then hit one of the best flat rides in the industry today, Air Race. This thing is so disorienting but amazingly fun at the same time. It is an absolute must-ride if you are at Luna Park.
Some water-shooting raft ride that I don’t remember seeing the last time I was here. Anyone know what type of ride this is?
We unfortunately did not ride Cyclone because the special promotion did not apply to Cyclone or Thunderbolt. We both have been on it previously and it truly is a classic.
Cyclone will run you $9 a ride.
Steeplechase was next, a ride I truly find unappreciated. Sure it is small, but I really think it packs a punch. This is one of Lexie’s favorite rides at the park.
Skip. I’d rather go on Air Race then this evil thing. I am not a fan of Volare flyers (is anyone?)
More creepy faces.
Which brings us to the main attraction!
Thunderbolt is the newest addition to the iconic Coney Island and it also happens to be the tallest roller coaster the beach-side park has ever seen. Built by Zamperla, Thunderbolt is 125 feet tall with 4 inversions and cost Luna Park $10,000,000. But enough about stats you can find online, lets get to the ride experience.
Walking up to the ride along the boardwalk is really awesome with the Thunderbolt sign and logo clearly on display.
When we got closer, we saw a full queue that actually extended out to the fence along the ride. It ended up being about a 30 minute wait, which is perfectly fine by me for a brand-new ride. The operations were running pretty great, too, which I have heard can be questionable.
What a visually impressive looking ride!
You can see where the line extended along the fence here.
One of the big questions among enthusiasts were about the trains and restraints.
Thunderbolt features 3 across seating with a lap bars on a swivel. To my surprise, the 3 across seating didn’t look nearly as awkward as I thought it would and the swivel lap bars were actually pretty cool. They formed to my legs pretty well and were not overly restrictive. The only minor complaint I have is the material that they are made of- which felt like a cheap plastic. If these restraints were made of the same material as the B&M clam shell then I think it would be an upgrade. Again, a very minor complaint.
Once we got on the ride, I was really excited because of reviews that I had heard and because the ride just looks so damn good. I am a big fan of vertical lifts, so the ascent to the top was great. Right before you are about to plunge, the Lower Manhattan skyline is clearly visible. The drop was definitely steeper than I had initially expected and the ride quickly hit its 65mph max speed. The loop offered a friendly amount of hang-time and we were on to the Zero G.
(Sorry for Lexie’s head being right in the way)
The Zero-G shuffled quite a bit, as did the entrance to the stengel dive. Once we reached the apex of the stengel dive, things returned to normal. The weirdo turnaround is unique and offers a good amount of forces, it definitely left me confused (which is a good thing). The return trip is where this ride shines, with airhills that have loads of airtime. The first one out of the turnaround is really unexpected and Thunderbolt does its best to toss you out of the train. The second hill has an equal amount of airtime but isn’t nearly as unexpected or violent.
The corkscrew is taken at a very good amount of speed as is the final airhill. You finally reach the brakes and get a chance to regroup.
So how was Thunderbolt? Very good, but not great. First off, a single ride on this thing costs $10, which may not seem bad to most, but that is about the daily budget for college students like Lex and I. Secondly, the shuffling was very noticeable. It wasn’t painful, but I would definitely classify it as uncomfortable at some points. I feel like I would have to ride Thunderbolt more often to say if it truly rides like that or if I just had a weird ride. The best part of Thunderbolt for us was definitely the return trip with the ejector airhills. The front half of the ride left a little something to be desired.
Overall though, I think Thunderbolt is a winner. It is a great testament to what Zamperla can eventually do in the industry and I would definitely like to see more large coasters from them. Thunderbolt is a ride that has slipped under the radar for most people, but it definitely shouldn’t be missed if you are in the New York City area.
As a whole, Lex and I really enjoyed our day at Coney Island. This was by far the most crowded I have ever seen the boardwalk and I hope it is like this for years to come. It definitely can cost you a good amount of money, but I personally think it is worth an annual visit.
For more information on Luna Park, be sure to check out their website LunaParkNYC.com
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I am a huge travel and roller coaster enthusiast. I have ridden 504 unique coasters across the world and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and am now working with a creative firm in Orlando, Florida. 
David Witoslawski
July 7, 2014 at 7:46 amThank you for the great write up! I definitely want to make a trip there at some point!
Kevin
July 7, 2014 at 8:44 amDavid,
Thank you for the comment! It definitely is worth a trip if you are in the tri-state area. Coney Island is (and hopefully will stay) on the rise.
David Witoslawski
November 20, 2014 at 7:58 amWe ended up visiting in August. You inspired me to make my own visit. Lots of fun!
Lexie Nychay
November 20, 2014 at 5:03 pmDavid,
Thank you kindly! I hope you had a wonderful time, like we did. What did you think about Thunderbolt?
Leo
July 7, 2014 at 1:49 pmYou nailed it and better explained the first half than I have. It shuffles entering inversions. I like the whole lower part of the restraint. The hangtime and airtime left my upper body pushing on the shoulder straps. The ride really shines in the second half. The airtime is great and the corkscrew is the best inversion in the layout. The view of Manhattan with the Word Trade Center tower is straight ahead and great.
David Parmelee
July 7, 2014 at 9:12 pmThe water-shooting raft ride is Water Mania, a Zamperla Watermania: https://www.zamperla.com/en/zamperla-details-rides-watermania. I saw an article here about it: https://amusingthezillion.com/2013/01/18/coney-island-2013-water-mania-spin-ride-to-debut-at-luna-park/.
Kevin
July 16, 2014 at 2:57 pmThank you, David!
Zamperla is making quite the impression on the folks at Luna Park, hopefully they continue making high-quality ride experiences.
Taylor
July 7, 2014 at 9:54 pmI totally agree. It was good, but not great. It was rough, not break your neck rough, but not pleasant. And the inversion turn around looks better than it actually rides I think. And $10 is a little outrageous. It also destroyed my phone (Threw it from my pocket, which was my fault, but there were no lockers nearby). And whats funny is it landed by the fence, and in the time it took me to reach through and grab my phone, walk 20 feet to my friend to say I found it, and for us to walk back, someone else’s phone had just replaced mine. So, there’s that.
Bob
July 8, 2014 at 1:40 pmKevin, when I was a young’un, my folks took me to Atlantic City. It was the early 1960s, and I must have been about 8 or so. There was a big billboard on the beach featuring that “creepy face” cartoon. I recall being TOTALLY creeped out by that face, like it was staring at ME the whole time! It darn near ruined my day at the beach. It STILL creeps me out! (It was the logo of the legendary carnival barker George C. Tilyou. Here’s his bio:https://www.coneyislandhistory.org/index.php?g=hall_of_fame&s=tilyou Read it if you dare!) Ann and I will bookmark your cool website, and look for future updates.
Kevin
July 19, 2014 at 11:27 amBob,
Thanks for the comment. Long time no see. Yeah that face is pretty nightmare-inducing. Thanks for the link, too. I love reading about the history of Coney Island because the area now just doesn’t strike me as a “#1 Destination in America” type place like it was once considered. It is crazy. It is on the rise, though!
Kathy
July 22, 2014 at 2:47 pmThis is so cool to read your blog - I feel like I am on the rides they are described so well.
Krista Buttery
July 24, 2014 at 3:22 pmIt’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d definitely donate too this outstanding blog!
I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my
Google account. I look forward to new updates and will share thijs site with my Facebook group.
Chat soon!
Kevin
July 29, 2014 at 1:17 pmThanks for your kind words. I am looking to implement a donate button as well as a Twitter feed within the next week or so. I also appreciate you sharing the blog to your friends!
Chris
July 28, 2014 at 3:21 pmThanks for the honest review. I rode it the same weekend and am still unsure about it myself. Other riders tell me that the side-to-side motion was too much for them, making it a one-and-done for credit only ride. Fortunately, I was warned and knew how to hold my head. I was neither banged up nor nauseated, but didn’t have that great adrenaline rush feeling of wanting to get right back on for another experience.
I enjoyed the lift hill, the view, and the airtime too. I would probably ride it again. The report card promotion is awesome and I really wish that we paid more attention to the website before our trip. Our daughter is a rider, too, and the 25 credits would have extended her riding day significantly.
Kevin
July 28, 2014 at 4:21 pmChris,
Thank you for the comment. I am in total agreement with you. It was fun, but it didn’t make me instantly want to go back on ($10 is a little much, too). The report card promotion was great! I was surprised it extended to college students as well, but Lex and I weren’t complaining.
J$
August 5, 2014 at 9:22 pmKev,
Thanks for the riveting insights. I was thinking of heading out for a jaunt sometime soon myself. Now I’ll have to get there soon and circle back with you…
Where’s your next trip?
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