Luna Park


Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are considered as small-scale attraction parks, easily accessed, potentially addressed to the permanent or temporary residential market, and located in the suburbs or even near the town center. Luna parks mainly offer classic funfair attractions, newer features and catering services.

History

The original Luna Park on Coney Island, a massive spectacle of rides, ornate towers and cupolas covered in 250,000 electric lights, was opened in 1903 by the showmen and entrepreneurs Frederic Thompson and Elmer "Skip" Dundy. The park was either named after the fanciful airship Luna, part of the new park's central attraction A Trip to the Moon, or after Dundy's sister. Luna Park was a vastly expanded attraction built partly on the grounds of Sea Lion Park, the first enclosed amusement park on Coney Island which closed down due to competition from nearby Steeplechase Park.
In 1905, Frederick Ingersoll, who was already making a reputation for his pioneering work in roller coaster construction and design borrowed the name when he opened Luna Park in Pittsburgh and Luna Park in Cleveland. These first two amusement parks, like their namesake, were covered with electric lighting. Later, in 1907, Charles Looff opened another Luna Park in Seattle, Washington. Ultimately, Ingersoll opened 44 Luna Parks around the world, the first chain of amusement parks. For a short time, Ingersoll renamed his parks Ingersoll's Luna Park to distinguish them from the Luna Parks to which he had no connection. Ingersoll's death in 1927 and the closing of most of his Luna Parks did not stop new parks from taking the name.
Today, the term luna park or lunapark means "amusement park" in several European languages. These include Indo-European languages such as Polish, French, and Dutch, as well as in Greek. In Turkish, a Turkic language, lunapark means "funfair", a similar term.

List of Luna Parks

In Africa

In Asia

NameLocationIn operationNotes
Luna Park, AbhaSaudi Arabia? to presentPart of the Abha Palace complex
Alanya LunaparkNear Alanya, Turkey? to present
Luna Park, BakuBaku, Azerbaijan2000 to 2005
Luna Park, BeirutBeirut, Lebanon? to present
Luna Park, BombayMumbai, IndiaDesigned and built by Ingersoll
Bostanci Luna ParkBostancı, Turkey? to present
Eski Luna ParkNear Balıkesir, Turkey? to present
Girne LunaparkNear İzmir, Turkey? to present
Luna Grand ParkHaifa, Israel2001 to 2013Closed after five months due to poor attendance following a religious boycott and reopened after negotiations with the local religious community. Closed for good on October 31, 2013 to make room for a new cinema.
Luna Park, Hong KongHong Kong, China1949 to 1954Amusement park, cinema and nightclub complex
Lunapark, MersinMersin, Turkey? to present
Luna Park, NazilliNazilli, Turkey? to present
Luna Park, OsakaOsaka, Japan1919 to 1923Also known as Shinsekai Luna Park
Luna Park, SincanSincan, Turkey? to present
Luna Park, TehranTehran, Iran1970s to 1980Reopened in 1988 as Shahr-e Bazi; closed 2007 to make room for new highway
Luna Park, Tel AvivTel Aviv, Israel1970 to present
Luna Park, TokyoTokyo, Japan1910 to 1911Burned down in 1911
Luna Park, YerevanYerevan, Armenia2000 to present

In Europe

NameLocationIn operationNotes
Luna Park, AidonakiaAthens, Greece? to presentConstructed by Ingersoll. Also known as "Ta Aidonaka"
Luna Park, BerlinBerlin, Germany1909 to 1933In its time, it was the largest amusement park in Europe
:fr:Luna Park |Luna Park, Saint-Brieuc, FranceSaint-Brieuc, France1982 to presentLocated in the Brézillet area of Saint-Brieuc, Côtes-d'Armor, France
Luna Park, Cap d'AgdeCap d'Agde, France? to present
Luna Park, CologneCologne, Germany1909 to 1927
LunEurRome, Italy1953 to 2008
2016 to present
Fantasia Luna ParkNear Faliraki, Greece2003 to present
Lunapark FréjusFréjus, France? to present
Luna Park FunfairScarborough, United Kingdom? to present
Luna Park, GenevaLe Parc des Eaux Vives alongside Lake Geneva, Switzerland1912 to 1918
Luna Park, Hamburg-AltonaNear Hamburg, Germany1913, and again 1917 to 1923
International Luna ParkNear Athens, Greece? to present
Luna Park, La PalmyreLa Palmyre, France? to present
Luna Park, LarnacaLarnaca, Cyprus? to presentNow known as Lucky Star Park
Luna Park, LeipzigLeipzig, Germany1911 to 1932
Luna Park, L'EscalaL'Escala, Catalonia, Spain? to present
Luna Park, LisbonLisbon, PortugalDesigned and built by Ingersoll
Lunapark, ŁódźŁódź, Poland? to present
Luna Park, LondonLondon, UK
Luna Park, MadridMadrid, SpainDesigned and built by Ingersoll
Luna Park, MilanNear Milan, Italy1965 to presentName was changed April 11, 2004 to Luna Europark Idroscalo Milano
Luna Park, MoscowMoscow, Russia1993 to presentOfficially called "Luna Park Carousel."
Luna Park, NiceNice, France? to present
Odessa, Ukraine? to present
Luna Park, ParisParis, France1909 to 1931
Luna Park, RomeRome, Italy? to 1930sDesigned and built by Ingersoll
Luna Park, St. PetersburgSaint Petersburg, Russia1916 to 1924
Luna Park, SkopjeSkopje, North Macedonia
Lunapark SowinskiNear Władysławowo, Poland2006 to present

In North America

NameLocationIn operationNotes
Luna Park, Alexandria CountyAlexandria County, Virginia, USA1906 to 1915Designed and built by Ingersoll. Some sources refer to it as Washington Luna Park or Luna Park, Washington, D.C.
Luna Park, BaltimoreBaltimore, USA
Luna Park, BuffaloBuffalo, USA1904 to 1920Designed and built by Ingersoll. Damaged by fire July 14, 1909 Originally Carnival Court, became Athletic Park before closing
Luna Park, CharlestonCharleston, USA1912 to 1923
Luna Park, ChicagoChicago, USA1907 to 1911Owned by James "Big Jim" O'Leary, boxing promoter who was son of Mrs. O'Leary of Great Chicago Fire fame
Luna Park, ClevelandCleveland, USA1905 to 1929Designed by Ingersoll. Former site of Luna Bowl stadium for American football and Negro League baseball games
Luna Park, Coney IslandNew York City, USA1903 to 1944First Luna Park and forerunner of amusement park chain
Luna Park, Coney Island New York City, USA2010 to presentConstructed on the site of the former Astroland.
Luna Park, DenverDenver, USA1908 to 1914Constructed on the site of the first US amusement park west of the Mississippi River, known as Manhattan Beach
Luna Park, DetroitDetroit, USA1906 to 1927Was actually named Electric Park but also called Luna Park, Riverview Park, and Granada Park
Luna Park, HonoluluHonolulu, USADesigned and built by Ingersoll.
Luna Park, HoustonHouston, USA1924 to c. 1934
Luna Park, HullHull, Canada1925 to 1928
Luna Park, JohnstownJohnstown, USAOriginally Roxbury Park; renamed Luna Park in 1905; sold to Johnstown in 1922; renamed Roxbury Park
Luna Park, Los AngelesLos Angeles, USA1911 to 1914Was Chutes Park 1900–1910
Luna Park, MansfieldMansfield, USAAlso known as Casino Park
Luna Park, Mexico CityMexico City, Mexico1906 to ?Designed by Ingersoll. On the same site as Luna Loca.
Luna Park, Olcott BeachOlcott Beach, USA1898 to 1926Destroyed by fire in 1927
Luna Park, PittsburghPittsburgh, USA1905 to 1909Was first of the Ingersoll Luna Parks and first amusement park to be covered with electric lighting
Luna Park, PortlandPortland, USA
Luna Park, San JoseSan Jose, USA1910 to 1916Included a baseball stadium that served as home for the San Jose Prune Pickers and San Jose Bears of the California State League.
Luna Park, SchenectadyRexford, USA1901 to 1933Designed and built by Ingersoll. Was also known as Dolle's Park, Colonnade Park, Palisades Park, and Rexford Park
Luna Park, ScrantonScranton, USA1906 to 1916Constructed by Ingersoll. Most of grounds now covered by Interstate 81.
Luna Park, SeattleSeattle, USA1907 to 1913Designed by Looff.
Luna Park, Sylvan BeachNew York City, USAAbsorbed by nearby Carnival Park
Luna Park, West HartfordWest Hartford, USA1906 to 1930Name changed from White City just before the park's grand opening.
Luna Park, WheelingWheeling, USA

In Oceania

NameLocationIn operationNotes
Luna Park GlenelgGlenelg, South Australia1930 to 1934Closed due to objections of local populace to Sunday operations and expansion plans; moved to Milsons Point and became Luna Park Sydney.
Luna Park MelbourneMelbourne, Victoria1912 to presentDesigned and built by Ingersoll. Oldest operational Luna Park and famous for having the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world.
Luna Park RedcliffeRedcliffe, Queensland1944 to 1966Erected on an unused section of the foreshore just north of Sutton's Beach at Redcliffe Point in late 1944. Owners, Redcliffe Town Council appointed Messrs W. Scott and Philip Wirth as amusement managers. Later the enterprise was sold by the Redcliffe Town Council to local businessman Hal Buchanan who sold it on to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, which sold it again in 1952. Amusements included a steam train, ferris wheel, sideshows and car-rides as well as a salt-water swimming pool.
Luna Park SydneySydney, New South Wales1935 to 1979, 1980 to 1988, 1995 to 1996, 2004 to presentOriginally known as Luna Park Milsons Point
Luna Park ScarboroughScarborough, Western Australia to 1972
Luna Park AucklandAuckland, New Zealand1926 to 1931Established on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, using rides and equipment from the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, a world fair that ran in Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1925–1926. Due to the depression, Luna Park began to run at a loss and was shut down in 1931.

In South America

In fiction