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Dragon Coaster

Wood Sit-Down at Playland Park, Rye, New York. Opened 1929.

By Theme Park Spot · Last reviewed November 8, 2026

Height
80 ft
Drop
n/a
Top speed
n/a
Length
3,400 ft
Inversions
0
Ride time
2 min
Designer
Frederick Church

Dragon Coaster is a wooden roller coaster at Playland Park in Rye, New York, and the park's mascot. Designed by Frederick Church, it opened in 1929, a year after the park itself.

The ride climbs a chain lift to 80 feet and runs about 3,400 feet of track, including a tunnel, with no inversions, in about two minutes. Two trains of six cars each carry 24 riders. A scene in the 1987 film Fatal Attraction was filmed on the coaster.

Dragon Coaster did not run in 2025. Westchester County overhauled it, replacing bolts, realigning track and putting in new wood parts, and it reopened with the park on May 23, 2026. Riders must be 48 inches tall to ride alone.

Sources

  • playlandpark.org/rides (Park ride list: Dragon Coaster, thrill ride, 48 in minimum to ride alone.)
  • rcdb.com/231.htm (RCDB: Dragon Coaster, Playland Park, operating since 1929; wood; 3400 ft, 80 ft, 0 inversions, 2:00; chain lift and tunnel; 2 trains of 6 cars, 24 riders; built by D.H. Morgan Manufacturing; designer Frederick Church; SBNO during 2025; a Fatal Attraction scene was filmed on it.)
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye_Playland (Wikipedia: Playland, Rye NY, owned by Westchester County; opened May 26, 1928; Frank W. Darling ran it at first; National Historic Landmark 1987; Marriott 1981-1982; Standard Amusements management agreement approved 2016, Standard sought to end it in January 2025 and the county ran the 2025 season; coasters Dragon Coaster (1929, Frederick Church, about 3,400 ft, 80 ft; park mascot), Kiddy Coaster (1928; ACE Coaster Classic and Landmark), Family Flyer (Zamperla, 2001), Crazy Mouse (Zamperla wild mouse, 2003), Super Flight (Zamperla Volare, 2004-2022, standing inoperable); Wild Wind never opened.)
  • ryerecord.com/after-a-bumpy-2025-county-hopes-return-of-drag... (Rye Record: closed for 2025; county replaced bolts, aligned track, new wood parts; reopening May 23, 2026.)
  • parks.westchestercountyny.gov/press-releases/playland-park-i... (County release: park opened May 23, 2026 with the return of the Dragon Coaster.)

Numbers are from the ride's manufacturer and park where published; "n/a" means we have not confirmed that number yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.