Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom

Dorney Park traces its history to 1860, when Solomon Dorney built a trout hatchery and summer resort on his estate outside of Allentown. In 1870, Dorney decided to convert the estate into a public attraction. Initially, the facility featured games, playground-style rides, refreshment stands, picnic groves, a hotel, and a restaurant. By the 1880s, Dorney had added a small zoo, and gardens.[1]

When the Allentown-Kutztown Traction Company completed its trolley line from Allentown to Kutztown in 1899, the company added a stop at Dorney's park. Two years later, the traction company purchased the park, operating it until 1923. That year, the park was sold to Robert Plarr and two other partners. Plarr soon bought out his partners and ran Dorney Park until his death in 1966. Plarr built a house for his estranged wife Wiltracy Plarr in the 1930s under the first hill of Thunder Hawk in hopes of driving her to divorce. She lived there until the late 1980s, never granting him the divorce. Ownership then passed to Plarr's son, Stephen, who died within a year. Robert Ott, Plarr's son-in-law, took over as owner in 1967. In 1985, Ott sold Dorney Park to Harris Weinstein. Weinstein owned it until 1992, when he sold the park to Cedar Fair[1] and is one of only thirteen trolley parks still operating in the United States.

1910 photo of picnic grove and pavilion

The swimming pool about 1950

Rides have come and gone at Dorney Park, such as the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters's Grande Carousel which debuted at Dorney in 1932, but was destroyed in a September 1983 fire. The Bucket O' Blood (once known as Pirates Cove) dark ride burned in the same fire. Luckily, the incident occurred after the park was closed for the season. Another early ride was the Whip, in which riders spun on a small track in a pavilion. The Whip is still in operation today and is the park's oldest ride.

Dorney Park also had a swimming pool from the early 1900s until 1963. Plarr was pressured by local business owners to shut down the swimming pool because of "mixed" swimming. Local business owners threatened to boycott the park and stop having their company picnics at the park if he did not shut it down. One side of the former pool had live seals and fish, while the other side was used for the Whale Boats, motorised boats seating two people each. Near the lower entrance to the park was the dark ride called Tunnel Of Love which later was rethemed as The Journey to the Center of the Earth. The ride was a Bill Tracy mill chute. It was a boat ride through a dark tunnel with scary scenes behind glass, and a lift and drop at the end. It was razed following the 1992 season, after Cedar Fair, LP acquired the park. Journey To The Center Of The Earth was located near the park's first roller coaster, which opened in 1923. It was simply known as the Coaster or "the yellow rollercoaster" until 1989 when it was renamed Thunderhawk. It still operates today.[2]

Main entrance to Dorney Park, 1950.

Also near the pool was the Mill Chute, built in 1927 but closed in 1960 to become Journey to the Center of the Earth as described previously. Philadelphia Toboggan built a Cuddle-Up ride at the park in the mid-1940s; this would be enclosed and heavily air-conditioned in the late 1970s as The Iceberg, which featured strobe lights and loud music. It was painted black and retitled Meteorite at the end of the 1980s and removed after the 1993 season. The Gold Mine was a scary walk-through under the Solomon Dorney Mansion in the middle of the park near the Iceberg and PTC Carousel. The Gold Mine closed in the mid-1980s. The Flying Dutchman was a Pinfari compact steel coaster located where the Ferris Wheel is currently located. It was the largest of its kind. It was removed following the 1988 season due to mechanical problems.

For many years, a clown figure called "Alfundo" (the name was derived from a combination of the words Allentown, FUN and Dorney Park) reigned supreme as the park's trademark, and was used as the decoration of the main entrance to the park (see photo).

In 1980, Dorney Park Road, a former two-lane state highway which cut through the park, was closed to traffic and converted to a midway. The state highway (LR 157, which became US 222) had been rerouted more than 60 years earlier south of the park as Hamilton Blvd.[3] Dorney Park Road became a local street and the access road to the park. Prior to the road's closing, Dorney Park's narrow-gauge railroad crossed the road, which led to traffic stoppages every time the train was to cross Dorney Park Road. This railroad crossing also helped park patrons cross the road.

The road closing led to the enclosure of the park by fence and the introduction of a single-price admission fee, which eliminated individual ride tickets. The park previously maintained groves for family picnics. While the groves remained outside the park a while longer, patrons were no longer allowed to bring food inside.

The park opened its log flume ride, Thunder Creek Mountain, in 1982, which still owns the record for longest drop on a log flume ride. In the fall of the next year, a major fire destroyed a large section of the park, including the Carousel, Bucket O' Blood, Flying Bobs, Skeeball and several food stands. The park replaced the rides in 1984, its 100th anniversary, with the addition of Enterprise, Musik Express, Ranger, and Apollo 2000. New skeeball alleys, gift shops, and food stands were added as well.

With the addition of the rides as well as the improvements to the park, the park's value was high enough to sell. It was sold mid-season to Harris Weinstein in 1985. He also bought the neighbouring automobile racetrack which had been used once a year for NASCAR racing. At that point, the racetrack was razed. It was determined that there was a need for swimming to be brought back to Dorney Park. With the pool being razed 20 years before, the void was filled by a waterpark called Wildwater Kingdom in 1985. It had separate admission and included a wave pool, family water raft ride, several body slides, several tube slides, and a children's water play area. That year, season passes began to be offered.

That year it was also determined that the park needed a looping roller coaster, so in 1986, Laser, a Schwarzkopf-designed coaster with two loops was built, giving the park three adult coasters. This roller coaster was originally meant to be a ride that would be for funfairs, but Dorney Park kept it assembled. The coaster was named in a commercial tie-in with a local radio station, WAEB-FM, a then-Hot AC radio station known as Laser 104.1. Two years later, a kiddie coaster was added across from Laser called Little Laser. This kiddie coaster originally operated as a junior coaster (children and adults were at that time able to ride) from the early 1960s to 1981 near the coaster now called Thunderhawk. The ride was in storage from 1982 until 1988. In 1989, it was moved next to and painted the same colors as the Laser and was renamed. As a kiddie coaster, adults cannot ride the Little Laser unless accompanied by a child. Laser was taken down in 2008 and Little Laser was renamed to Steel First.

The park further grew with debut of Hercules, a wooden terrain coaster in 1989. It was built on the top of the hill lining what was then the back of the park, near what was at that time Wildwater Kingdom's parking lot. This coaster was the tallest wooden roller coaster in the world until Cedar Point's Mean Streak debuted in 1991, which boasted a first drop only 4 feet (1.2 m) taller than Hercules. Hercules proved a big hit for Dorney in the coaster's first four seasons, but was soon known for its rough, often jarringly shaky ride, due in large part to significant modifications made to Hercules after the park was purchased by Cedar Fair in 1992. Hercules was removed in 2003 due to high maintenance costs and low ridership. Hydra The Revenge is now where Hercules once stood, which is why its slogan is "It's the Ride That Brought Down Hercules".

The first drops of Steel Force and Thunderhawk

In 1991, Dorney Park added a few more flat rides and improved landscaping, preparing to once again sell it. Cedar Fair purchased the park in 1992 for $48M.[4] In 1993, the park added a flume ride that plunges riders in 20-passenger boats down an 80-foot (24 m) drop, creating a giant wave that not only soaks riders, but onlookers as well. It was known as the Pepsi Chute and today as White Water Landing. It was built next to Hercules and the Wildwater Kingdom parking lot.

In 1994, a new midway was built on the top of the hill near Hercules and White Water Landing. The parking lot for Wildwater Kingdom was doubled in size and converted to serve both Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom. A new entrance was also built to Dorney Park. Some concession stands and a carousel was also added at this new midway. The old lot and entrance also continued to be used. Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom were separately gated until the end of that season. The park now charged guests a then-small charge for parking.

In 1995, admission to both Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom was offered at a single price for the first time. The change was promoted under the slogan "Two Parks for The Price Of One." That year also saw the addition of Thunder Canyon, a river rapids ride consisting of eight-passenger rafts that plunge and rock along a 16,400-foot (5,000 m) path through an authentic looking canyon, propelled by approximately 1 million US gallons (3,800 m³) of water.

In 1996, Dorney went "green" and transplanted 120 30-year-old trees to make shade. It also made the park look nicer. Construction began on a steel hypercoaster slightly over 200 feet (61 m) tall. It was designed by D.H. Morgan, a former employee of Arrow. Morgan helped design Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point in 1988. This coaster would have a similar out and back layout but would have a smoother braking system and be a more pleasant ride than Magnum. It opened in an area that was previously considered the front of the park taking up that entire stretch of land. This coaster is known as Steel Force and opened in the spring of 1997. This brought the park up to four adult coasters and a kiddie coaster. At that point, the former front entrance was restricted to employees and was now considered the back entrance. Over the years, the waterpark added some newer water slides as well as a second lazy river.

In 1998, Dorney Park added a top spin ride called "Hang Time". At the end of this year, the "Monster" was temporarily removed and eventually relocated within the park. This was also the last year for the "Sky Ride", it was removed at the end of the season. During the offseason, the Laser was repainted in a neon green and purple style, replacing the red and white theme it had since its introduction to the park.

In 1999, a 200-foot (61 m) tower called Dominator, featuring two gravity-defying rides, was added. One tower blasts riders straight up 15 stories before dropping them back to earth, while another tower slowly lifts riders to a staggering 170 feet (52 m), then thrusts them downward at faster-than-free-fall speeds.

Dominator

2000 saw the debut of Camp Snoopy, a themed children's play area. A junior coaster (managed like a kiddie coaster in that adults without children cannot ride) called Woodstock Express was added that year, bringing the coaster count to eight, including four adult coasters, a junior coaster, and three kiddie coasters. The Wild Mouse was also added this year. Also, a new separate-charge admission thrill ride, Skyscraper, a Booster-type thrill ride by Gravity Works, Inc., was added.

In 2001, a Bolliger & Mabillard designed roller coaster called Talon was added near the now-front entrance of park. The ride was a steel inverted looping coaster with ski lift type seats, and approximately the size of the Raptor coaster at Cedar Point. The addition of the new adult coaster brought the park's roller coaster count to nine.

In 2002, the park added Meteor. Meteor is a flatride that was built by Zamperla in Italy. Meteor takes up to 24 riders each ride on 2 swing arms. The waterpark was also modified with a few waterslides.

In 2003, Wildwater Kingdom was overhauled. Several older body slides were removed and replaced with four modern colored body slides, two of which were open and two of which were enclosed tube slides. Three inflated tube slides were also added. One of the slides is mostly open and straight down, another is winding and completely enclosed, and the third slide also winds but is partially open. A new children's water play area was also added. In July, the park announced that Hercules would close Labor Day and in 2005 be replaced by Hydra the Revenge, a $13 million, steel floorless Bolliger & Mabillard coaster. Hercules closed and would be replaced as a result of high maintenance costs, a rough ride, and low ridership. Soon after, it was demolished, reducing the coaster count to eight.

In 2004, construction on Hydra began soon after razing Hercules and continued throughout the season. Around the same time, Skyscraper was relocated to Valleyfair, which ran from 2005 until 2007 before relocating to Cedar Point.

Hydra the Revenge opened on opening day for the 2005 season on 7 May 2005. The coaster is a half-mile in length and features a105-foot (32 m) drop. It is the first and only floorless roller coaster in Pennsylvania. The addition made the park home once again to nine adult and children's coasters.

On 22 September 2007, Dorney Park announced it would be opening its sixth adult roller coaster, a shuttle twisted impulse U-shaped coaster built by Intamin. The coaster, located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, from 2000 to 2006, was originally known as Superman: Ultimate Escape, but was renamed Steel Venom when the park was bought by Cedar Fair from Six Flags in 2004. Steel Venom was removed from Geauga Lake in 2006 and unofficially opened as Voodoo at Dorney Park on 17 May 2008. Its grand opening was held six days later. The ride was renamed Possessed after the 2008 season to resolve a conflict with Six Flags, which held the rights to the name Voodoo.

In summer 2008, Dorney Park announced that Laser would be removed after the season ended to expand the park's opportunities, since it has been at Dorney Park since 1986. Laser took its final ride at Dorney Park on 1 November 2008. It now runs in Germany as Teststrecke and travels to different German Fairs.

In 2009, Dorney Park added "The Good Time Theatre." This theatre was announced in February 2009 and broke ground in April 2009. The theatre was finished in spring of 2009.[5]

White Water Landing

In 2010, the park removed its bumper car ride called "Krazy Kars" to add the Demon Drop from Cedar Point. Rita's Italian Ice was also introduced as a new concession. Meanwhile, the park announced that Planet Snoopy would open for the 2011 season.[6][7]

In 2011, Dorney Park introduced an 8 million dollar extensive overhaul to the former Camp Snoopy kid's park area. The new area is named Planet Snoopy with additions such as seven new rides, a new family care centre offering services and amenities for parents and their young children, a new and larger outdoor amphitheatre, and extensive new PEANUTS theme attributes being applied to differentiate the now 3.5-acre (14,000 m²) kid's park from the rest of Dorney Park. Theme attributes include a new bright colour palette, large billboard like Planet Snoopy signage, arch entry ways, paver blocks on the midways instead of concrete, and a Snoopy sculpture as a centrepiece and kids photo op.

In 2012, Dorney Park added Stinger, formerly Invertigo from California's Great America, to its roller coaster collection. The park also added the new Fast Lane virtual queue system, already present at the other Cedar Fair parks, and "Dinosaurs Alive!" near the Steel Force entrance. "Dinosaurs Alive!" was a walkthrough attraction that guests paid an additional fee to access. It featured life-size, animatronic dinosaurs that move and produce sound effects. Children also had access to a faux dig site for unearthing fossils, bones, and other dinosaur-themed objects.

In 2013, Dorney Park featured no major new attractions, but rather small changes to the park, such as a new Fast Pay wristband, allowing guests to add money to an RFID prepaid wristband, allowing them to pay for food and merchandise without carrying cash.[8] On 28 August 2013, Dorney Park announced that a new 65-foot-tall (20 m) tall water slide complex, Snake Pit, would be constructed for the 2014 season. Snake Pit features six water slides, Python Plummet, which is three free-fall body slides, Constrictor, which is an enclosed tube slide, and Boa Blaster, which is a twin tube slide featuring high speed drops. Snake Pit replaced Riptide Run and The Lily Pads. The first slide pieces of Snake Pit began to arrive at Dorney Park on Wednesday, 22 January 2014. Snake Pit opened on 30 May.[9][10] Also new for 2014 is an in park television channel called FUNtv. FUNtv is shown on television screens in the queue lines of many of the park's major attractions. Content shown includes weather, music videos, and trivia. The content for FUNtv is controlled out of sister park Kings Island in Mason OH.[11][12]

On 17 November 2014, Dorney Park announced a new attraction for 2015, the Cedar Creek Flyers, to be located in the lower section of the park next to Stinger. The ride features eight eagle themed gondolas suspended twenty eight feet in the air. Riders spin around in a circle and are able to control their ride experience. This gives riders a unique opportunity to determine whether they want a mild ride or a more aggressive one. The ride is manufactured by Larson International, Inc.[13]

Prior to the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Dorney Park removed their Top Spin ride, Hang Time and their S&S pendulum ride, Screamin' Swing.

On 18 August 2016, Dorney Park announced the return of their bumper car attractions, which will be named Dodgem, located in the location formerly occupied by Hang Time; and the addition of Kaleidoscope, a HUSS Troika, which will be located on the Main Midway, next to the Coasters Diner. Also, the addition of Parkside Pavilion, Cirque Imagine, as well as more cabanas and new food offerings including Auntie Anne's (replacing Philly Pretzel Factory), Papa Luigi's (which will be in the water park replacing Typhoon Treats), and a new drink refill station.

On 15 December 2017, Dorney Park announced that they would be removing Stinger to make way for future development.

Starting on 10 August 2018, the park had its "Extinction Sale" with a special offer on Dinosaurs Alive tickets. Dinosaurs Alive at Dorney Park closed on 28 October 2018, thus eliminating both of the park's major 2012 additions.

Island Water Works and its adjacent splash pad in Wildwater Kingdom closed following the 2019 season to be replaced with Seaside Splashworks in summer of 2020.

On 14 March 2020, the park was shut down, like other Cedar Fair parks, on grounds of COVID-19 pandemic.

Halloween Haunt currently features 10 attractions including seven mazes and three scare zones, as well as roaming Street Talent sliders and actors, and two live mainstage shows (Blood Drums and Orverlord's Resurrection).[18]