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Queens' Only Roller Coaster Gets Snake-Inspired Name

By Katie Honan | July 19, 2013 2:45pm
 The Corona Cobra Coaster was selected after the park operators received hundreds of responses.
Queens' Only Coaster Gets A Name
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QUEENS — The borough's only roller coaster now has a name after a citywide contest generated hundreds of responses.

The green, slithering ride, which is part of Family Forest, a new attraction in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, has been named the Corona Cobra Coaster.

The names were suggested by the public and selected by the management team at NY Carousel, which operates the park.

The naming rights are shared by two locals, Elizabeth Holmes and Aquiles Nunes, who suggested similar names that were tweaked to fit the park, according to the park's director of operations, David Galst.

The roller coaster will formally be named at the park on Saturday.

Since opening in May, the park has been a "huge success," according to the operator.

“We have people from Queens and all over New York,” Galst said. “Being next to a great attraction like the Queens Zoo and located in the beautiful Flushing Meadows-Corona Park means that we see lots of families and friends getting together. It really is an ideal place for an amusement."

The new name matches another ride in the park, the Corona Choo Choo train, which lets kids ride the rails.

Four rides were added this year to the original carousel, which has been in the park since 1964.

In addition to the rides, the Fantasy Forest  offers weekend actvities for families. Next Saturday, the park will celebrate with Cido's Summer Spectacular, a free party with magic shows, dance contests, a clown and a DJ.

“It is our goal to give families something unique to do each weekend when they pay us a visit,” Galst said.

Fantasy Forest is located at 111th Street and 55th Avenue inside the park.