Originally part of Astroland amusement park, it is now part of Luna Park, and the coaster has been refurbished over the years and parts have been replaced and modernized, but the current ride is one of the last remaining wooden roller coasters.

A ride cost 25¢ on opening day, and the coaster climbs 85 feet and attains a top speed of 60mph. By the 1960s, plans were made to tear down the Cyclone, and in 1969 the city purchased the site for $1 million with the intention of expanding the nearby aquarium onto the property. The coaster was saved by public outcry in the 1970s and has become a recognized symbol of both Coney Island and New York itself.