John Hunt

Roller coaster enthusiast John Hunt has been building scale models of coasters and amusement park attractions since he was a boy and has turned his hobby into a business. More than 50 different custom-built rides are on view and may be ordered via his website rollercoastermodels.com.  Among his models are Coney Island's landmarks -- the Cyclone Roller Coaster, Denos' Wonder Wheel and the Parachute Jump.  He built a model of the Cyclone for longtime Cyclone operator and Astroland owner Carol Hill Albert and multiple Wonder Wheels for Deno's Wonder Wheel Park's Vourderis family. The Long Island resident and 40-year member of American Coaster Enthusiasts regularly visits Coney Island, has ridden the Cyclone thousands of times, and as he gets older it's his favorite coaster again. "I like that old classic style," he says.  John shares memories of the day in 1978 when he first rode the Cyclone and stayed on 15 times in a row, and another unforgettable ride, in the '90s, during a thunderstorm.