Dutch Wonderland
{{Short description|Amusement park in Pennsylvania}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Dutch Wonderland
| logo = Dutch Wonderland Logo 2019.png
| image = 220px
| caption = Dutch Wonderland entrance decorated for Halloween in 2018.
| location = East Lampeter Township
| location2 = Pennsylvania
| location3 = U.S.
| opening_date = {{Date and age|May 20, 1963}}
| general_manager =
| previous_names =
| season =
| area = {{cvt|48|acres}}
| rides = 34
| coasters = 3
| water_rides = 1 (Plus 2 Boat Based Rides)
| owner = Herschend Family Entertainment
| slogan = "A Kingdom for Kids"
| homepage = {{url|www.dutchwonderland.com}}
| coordinates = {{Coord|40.0277|-76.2184|region:US_type:landmark|display=it}}
}}
File:Dutch Wonderland Entrance.jpg
Dutch Wonderland is a {{convert|48|acre|ha|sing=on}} theme park just east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in East Lampeter Township, appealing primarily to families with small children. The park's theme is a "Kingdom for Kids." The entrance to the park has a stone imitation castle façade, which was built by Earl Clark, a potato farmer, before he opened the park in 1963.
The Clark family sold Dutch Wonderland in 2001 to Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. They also operate Old Mill Stream Campground at the same location, as well as the Gift Shop at Kitchen Kettle Village in nearby Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Next to the park, they used to operate Wonderland Mini-Golf and Wonderland Cinema, which were demolished to make room for parking in 2014 and 2015, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/former-wonderland-cinema-at-dutch-wonderland-being-demolished/article_84781860-d6f5-11e4-b23d-1bfd3e982f8b.html|title=Former Wonderland Cinema at Dutch Wonderland being demolished|date=2015-03-30|access-date=2023-04-11}} On November 12, 2010, Hershey Entertainment announced that they sold Dutch Wonderland to Palace Entertainment. In early 2025, the park was sold to Herschend Family Entertainment.{{Cite web |title=Herschend to Acquire Palace Entertainment |url=https://www.hfecorp.com/whats-new/herschend-to-acquire-palace-entertainments-us-attractions-from-parques-reunidos/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.hfecorp.com |language=en}}
The park has 32 rides, plus a tropical-themed interactive water play area called Duke's Lagoon. The park also has an extended season, open for "Happy Hauntings" and "Dutch Winter Wonderland" events for Halloween and Christmas. The park is part of a larger area in Lancaster zoned for entertainment, dining, lodging, and conferences.
Attractions
Dutch Wonderland features 32 rides, a water park called Duke's Lagoon (named for a purple dragon costumed character), along with shows and games for children. In addition to Duke the Dragon, the park also features costumed characters Princess Brooke, Merlin the Wizard and Sir Brandon, the Knight of Safety.
A five-acre island at the back of the park, "Exploration Island", includes a Prehistoric Path featuring more than 15 animatronic dinosaurs. The island is viewable from the gondola ride.{{cite news|last=Lauer-Williams|first=Kathy|title=Lancaster's Dutch Wonderland to add animatronic dinosaurs|url=http://articles.mcall.com/2014-04-17/entertainment/mc-dutch-wonderland-dinosaurs-20140417_1_dutch-wonderland-kingdom-coaster-dinosaurs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512225234/http://articles.mcall.com/2014-04-17/entertainment/mc-dutch-wonderland-dinosaurs-20140417_1_dutch-wonderland-kingdom-coaster-dinosaurs|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 12, 2014|access-date=10 May 2014|newspaper=The Morning Call|date=17 April 2014|location=Allentown PA}}
=Current roller coasters=
Dutch Wonderland has three rollercoasters.
| class=wikitable |
| Ride
!Opened !Manufacturer !Description |
|---|
| Merlin's Mayhem
|{{center|2018}} |A steel inverted rollercoaster, manufactured by S&S Worldwide, which passes over the Skyride and stands on the land the Turnpike once stood. |
| {{nowrap|Kingdom Coaster}}
|{{center|1992}} |Custom Coasters International (CCI) |A wooden rollercoaster, the first coaster ever built by Custom Coasters International. Uses a single Philadelphia Toboggan Company train with buzz bars. The park's monorail runs through the structure of the ride. The ride was once painted white, and is currently painted blue. It was named the Sky Princess until the 2007 season. |
| Joust
|{{center|1998}} |A steel "Big Dipper" style rollercoaster, manufactured by Chance Rides. It sits where the Flying Trapeeze once stood, in front of the Kingdom Coaster. Chance's prototype Big Dipper Coaster. |
=Other attractions=
File:Merlin's_Mayhem,_Dutch_Wonderland.jpg]]
File:Dutch Wonderland Sky Princess Flume.jpg and Log Flume]]
| class=wikitable |
| Ride
!Opened !Manufacturer !Description |
|---|
| Balloon Chase
|{{center|2002}} |A Samba Balloon ride |
| Bumper Cars
|{{center|1962}} |Lusse |A classic Lusse bumper car ride |
| Choo Choo Charlie
|{{center|1992}} |A manual-powered handcar ride. |
| Double Splash Flume
|{{center|1977}} |A double drop log flume (the lower drop at the beginning of the ride, the higher drop at the end) with a mist tunnel. |
| Dragon's Lair
|{{center|1990}} |A boat ride, visible from outside the park. |
| Duke's Dozers
|{{center|2003}} |A kiddie ride where children ride in bulldozers, moved from Hersheypark where it had been called Earthmovers. |
| Dutch Wonder House
|{{center|1960s}} |In-House |A rare "haunted swing" ride, where the entire house revolves around the riders, described in a newspaper article as "an extremely disorienting effect"{{cite news|url=http://articles.mcall.com/2013-06-21/entertainment/mc-dutch-wonderland-50-anniversary-20130621_1_dutch-wonderland-rick-stammel-kingdom-coaster|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701100311/http://articles.mcall.com/2013-06-21/entertainment/mc-dutch-wonderland-50-anniversary-20130621_1_dutch-wonderland-rick-stammel-kingdom-coaster|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 1, 2013|title=Dutch Wonderland's 50th Anniversary|last=Stammel|first=Rick|date=21 June 2013|access-date=3 November 2017|work=The Morning Call}} |
| Dutch Wonderland Special
|{{center|1963}} |A 2-foot narrow-gauge railroad featuring a C.P. Huntington gasoline-powered locomotive built by Chance Rides, previously an Allan Hershel Iron Horse Train |
| Flying Trapeze
|{{center|1982}} |A Yo-Yo chairswing ride |
| Frog Hopper
|{{center|2003}} |A Frog Hopper drop tower |
| Fun Slide
|{{center|2000s}} |Unknown |A giant slide |
| Gondola Cruise
|{{center|1970s}} |Part of the larger Exploration Island area |
| Kite Flight
|{{center|2009}} |A Kite Flyer ride |
| Leapin' Frogs
|{{center|2000s}} |A Frog-themed Jump Around ride |
| Monorail
|{{center|1968}} |A monorail ride which takes a tour of the park |
| Merry-Go-Round
|{{center|1999}} |A family carousel ride |
| Off-Road Rally
|{{center|2003}} |A family carousel ride |
| Panda Party
|{{center|1970}} |A bee ride |
| Pit Stop'
|{{center|2000s}} |A pedal car ride |
| Sky Fighter
|{{center|1979}} |A plane ride |
| Sky Ride
|{{center|1969}} |A station-to-station sky ride{{cite book|url=https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467122856|title=Images of Modern America — Dutch Wonderland|last=Dennison|first=Austen|date=April 20, 2015|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Mount Pleasant, SC|page=27}} |
| Turnpike Cars 2.0
|{{center|1979}} |A reconstruction of the original Turnpike Cars formerly located in the middle of the park, it opened in 2014 on Exploration Island and is nearly double the length of the original.{{Cite web|url=https://lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/15-huge-animatronic-dinosaurs-coming-to-dutch-wonderlands-new-exploration-island/article_7626e694-8933-11e3-94aa-001a4bcf6878.html|title=15 huge animatronic dinosaurs coming to Dutch Wonderland's new Exploration Island|last=Mekeel|first=Tim|date=January 30, 2014|publisher=LNP|access-date=February 12, 2021}} |
| Turtle Whirl
|{{center|2007}} | Sellner Manufacturing | A classic tilt-a-whirl ride with a turtle theme purchased from Clementon Lake Park |
| The Twister
|{{center|2009}} | A family ride moved from Hersheypark (1978–2008) |
| Wonder Whip
|{{center|2003}} | A kiddie whip ride moved from Hersheypark, formerly called Wells Cargo (1964–2003) |
- Dino Dig – Part of the larger Exploration Island area
- Prehistoric Path – Features many animatronic dinosaurs. Part of the larger Exploration Island area.
=Removed rides=
- Wally the Whale Boats (1963–1967) – One of the original rides for the park. It was replaced by the Swan boats. There is one of the Whales currently beside Balloon Chase.{{Cite book|title=Images of Modern America — Dutch Wonderland|last=Dennison|first=Austen|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|date=April 20, 2015|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Mount Pleasant, SC|pages=29}}
- Swan train ride (1965–1967) – The "Gliding Swans" was a ride that drove through the path of the park, it only lasted for three seasons until it was removed due to increased foot traffic.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austen|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=21|oclc=898419667}}
- Swan Boats (1968–1974) – A swan paddle boat ride that was replaced by log boats (now "Dragon's Lair"). One of the swans are also currently beside Balloon Chase.
- Original Iron Horse Train (1963–1985) – In 1974 the park added a second train, CP Huntington #123, which ran with the Iron Horse train. The Iron Horse train was removed after 1985 and replaced with CP Huntington #206 in 1986.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austen |last=Dennison |date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=58|oclc=898419667}}
- Old 99 (1974–2002) – An electric train ride that went around a track by itself made by Chance Rides. The ride was eventually replaced with a theater.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austin|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=38|oclc=898419667}}
- Giant Slide (1968–2007) – Replaced with two portable slides.
- Ripcord (1990–2010) – A parachute ride made by Venture Manufacturing, it was replaced with a Zamperla Kite Flyer.
- Ferris Windmill (1981–2012) – A kiddie Ferris wheel ride with a windmill theme, built by International amusements, the ride was removed for Exploration Island.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austin|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=54|oclc=898419667}}
- Crazy Plane (1994–2014) – A Crazy Plane prototype made by Zamperla, the ride was removed after the 2014 season and was replaced by Bon Voyage Balloon Chase.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austin|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=66|oclc=898419667}}
- Silo slide (1963–2015) – A slide that went down the exterior of a silo, its final year was 2015, the silo still stands today without the slide pieces.
- Lady Gay Riverboat (1963–2016) – An original ride from the park, it was modified many times since it opened, and the ride and the dock were eventually removed due to maintenance upkeep.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austin|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=13|oclc=898419667}}
- Tug Boat (1967–2016) – A similar boat ride that came after the Lady Gay, the Tug Boat and Lady Gay would switch which boat was being used from time to time, until they both ceased operation in the park.{{Cite book|title=Dutch wonderland|first=Austin|last=Dennison|date=2015|publisher=Arcadia Pub|isbn=978-1-4671-2285-6|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=28|oclc=898419667}}
- Turnpike Cars 1.0 (1963–2013) – An Arrow Dynamics antique car ride that was located in the centre of the park, where Merlin's Mayhem is today. The attraction was reconstructed on Exploration Island for the 2014 season.
- Wiggle Racers – A ride where self-propelled scooters race around a track that includes a maze and a cave. This ride replaced the miniature train display which had replaced the indoor miniature circus display. The Wiggle Racers were then moved to a spot closer to the stream in the back of the park, and Huck Finn's Leapin' Frogs now resides in the footprint of the old miniature circus building.{{cite news|url=http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-pictures-dutch-wonderland-through-the-years-009-photo.html|title=Dutch Wonderland through the years|work=The Morning Call|date=16 June 2012|access-date=3 November 2017}}
- Astroliner (1978–2020) – an older space simulator that was added to the park in 1978, built by Wisdom Manufacturing, and removed in 2020.
- VR Voyager – a modern motion simulator removed in 2020.
- Space Shuttle (1985–2021) – A swinging ship ride built by Morgan. Removed in 2022.
=Shows=
- Bubba Bear and the Badlands Band – a Sally-produced theater show
- The Adventures of the Frog Prince – a high-dive show
- A Dragon's Tale – a high-dive show
- Storytime Corner – Princess of Dutch Wonderland and the Dutch Wonderland Knight read stories to children
- PBS KIDS Daniel Tiger Stage Show
= Previous shows =
{{incomplete|additional shows|date=April 2023}}
- Garfield the Great & Friends – A magic show based on the Garfield franchise.
- Thomas & Friends Live – based on the Thomas & Friends franchise.{{Cite web |url=http://dutchwonderland.com/map/images/DWBrochureMap_Large.jpg|title=2010 Park Map|date=2010-11-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121144824/http://dutchwonderland.com/map/images/DWBrochureMap_Large.jpg |access-date=2023-04-11|archive-date=2010-11-21 }}
- Danger Rangers Live in Safety Rules! – based on the Danger Rangers cartoon.{{cite web | url=http://www.dutchwonderland.com/safety/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228145814/http://www.dutchwonderland.com/safety/index.html | archive-date=February 28, 2008 | title=Best Amusement Park for Families & Kids in PA }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.dutchwonderland.com/ Official site]
- [http://www.wgal.com/news/1073216/detail.html Park sale to Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314161537/http://www.wgal.com/news/1073216/detail.html |date=2007-03-14 }}
- [http://coastergallery.com/2003T/Dutch.html Dutch Wonderland Information and Photos]
- [https://www.flickr.com/groups/dutchwonderland/ Dutch Wonderland Flickr Group]
- {{RCDB|4591}}
{{Dutch Wonderland}}
{{HFEC}}
Category:Amusement parks in Pennsylvania
Category:1963 establishments in Pennsylvania
Category:Culture of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Category:Buildings and structures in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Category:Tourist attractions in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania