Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park

Previously known as Ward's Kiddie Park
Location	Coney Island, New York, United States
Coordinates	40°34′28″N 73°58′45″W / 40.574310°N 73.979182°W / 40.574310; -73.979182
Public transit	​ ​​​ Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue  ​​ West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium
Opened	1920 (Wonder Wheel) 1950 (other rides)
Owner	Dennis Vourderis and Steve Vourderis
Attractions
Total	22
Roller coasters	3
Website	http://www.denoswonderwheel.com/

Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park is a family-owned amusement park located at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. It features six adult rides and 16 kiddie rides, including a dozen family rides that parents and children can ride together. The park is named for its main attraction, the Wonder Wheel, a 150-foot (46 m) eccentric wheel built in 1920.

The park overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and Riegelmann Boardwalk along the Coney Island beach. The Wonder Wheel was made a New York City designated landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1989.

History

The 150-foot-tall (46 m) Wonder Wheel predates the park, having opened in 1920. It was designed by Charles Hermann, and created and built by Herman Garms in 1918-1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company. Until the construction of the 250-foot-tall (76 m) Parachute Jump, it was the tallest attraction in Coney Island. It was a stand-alone attraction operated by Herman Garms. In 1955, Garms built Spook-a-Rama, an indoor dark ride.

Near these two attractions, Denos Vourderis opened a restaurant called the Anchor Bar & Grill. Also, next door to the Wonder Wheel, stood a small kiddie amusement park called Ward's Kiddie Park owned by John Curran. That area was built in 1950. Denos opened up a concession stand there in 1970. In 1976, Denos bought the kiddie amusement park from Curran. In 1983, Denos acquired the Wonder Wheel and Spook-a-Rama from Fred Garms and Walter Kerner Sr. Today the park still has predominantly children's rides along with several family attractions. Since Denos's death in 1994, the park has been operated by his two sons, Dennis and Steve.

In January 2020, Deno's Amusement Park announced a major expansion to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Wonder Wheel. The expanded park would take over part of the abandoned West 12th Street amusement area, shuttered since 2017. The Vourderis family paid $6 million for the land and another $5.5 million for an unnamed ride. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, the park did not open for the 2020 season, and the expansion was delayed. A Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster called Phoenix soft-opened on June 26, 2021, with a full opening on July 1. Also open in 2021 is Sky Flyer, a micro coaster from SBF Visa Group, which Deno's had purchased at the 2019 IAAPA Expo.

Attractions