Coney Island has been a staple of NYC since the 1860s.  The Coney island amusement park is one of the oldest amusement parks and is famous for such attractions as The Cyclone roller coaster. The Disney Theme Parks were built to compete with the high-energy get away that was so close to the chaos of the city.  The tacky stores and arcades are dear to the hearts of many New York children and adults who remember the park in its prime. Nathan’s is one of the most famous eateries in the country and it has been one of the biggest attractions of Coney Island offering such events as the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. The reputation of this neighborhood has been recently tarnished; after the decision to close a large part of the park was made, it lost a large part of its audience.  It is now being rebuilt and hopefully it will regain the glory it once knew.