By: Mario Mancini

The legendary wooden dragon that has greeted generations of thrill-seekers at Westchester County’s Playland amusement park has met a decidedly unceremonious end — dumped into a trash container — and longtime fans are furious. As the New York Post reported, photos of the dragon’s severed head sitting in a dumpster sparked outrage among park loyalists who see the creature as a symbol of childhood memories and local history.

County officials insist the move was unavoidable. According to Westchester leaders, the dragon — the toothy green mascot of Playland’s famed Dragon Coaster — had deteriorated beyond repair and posed a potential safety risk. Still, that explanation did little to calm critics who were stunned to see such an iconic piece of the park treated like junk, the New York Post reported.

“That belongs in a museum,” one angry fan wrote in a Playland-themed Facebook group after images of the discarded dragon began circulating. Another commenter questioned why the county didn’t at least auction off the structure instead of throwing it away. “I thought they were fixing it,” the person wrote. “They just tossed the head?”

The Dragon Coaster itself remains one of Playland’s crown jewels. The nearly century-old wooden roller coaster is 97 years old and is recognized as an official ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, a distinction granted by the American Coaster Enthusiasts to only a handful of rides worldwide, according to lohud.com. Opened in 1928, Playland sits along the Long Island Sound in Rye and has long been one of the region’s most beloved summer attractions.

The park has also enjoyed pop-culture fame. As the New York Post reported, Playland has appeared in major films and music videos, including Tom Hanks’ movie “Big” and Mariah Carey’s 1995 hit video “Fantasy.” Through it all, the dragon’s gaping mouth has remained the centerpiece of the ride — until now.

County officials pushed back against the backlash, emphasizing that the discarded dragon was not the original structure. Westchester County spokesperson Catherine Cioffi said the removed pieces were heavily degraded and unsafe due to years of wear and limited upkeep. “The dragon parts that were removed are severely deteriorated,” she said, adding that they were made largely of fiberglass, composite materials, and hard foam.

Cioffi also noted that Playland’s true original dragon had been removed decades ago. “While many of us feel attached to these features, it’s important to remember these are not the original elements,” she said, according to the New York Post.

That explanation hasn’t softened the blow for die-hard fans. Some longtime visitors say the emotional attachment runs deeper than questions of authenticity.