Dorney Park - July 5th and 6th, 2026

 From July 5th to 9th, my mom and I took a road trip to Dorney Park, Knoebels, and Six Flags Darien Lake! We had an amazing time revisiting these amusement parks! Luckily the weather was great and the crowds were light!

Dorney Park - July 5th and 6th, 2026:

After a 7 and a half hour drive, we made it to Dorney Park on Sunday, July 5th! There was a chance of thunderstorms, but we had a great three hours at the park! We even got to see the last night for the Star Spangled Nights Fireworks show!

Monday, July 6th was another great day to be at Dorney Park as the crowds were light due to some light showers earlier in the day! It was great to re-ride many of the park's thrilling rides and roller coasters that I had enjoyed during my two previous visits in 2015 and 2024.

Be sure to check out the photos from our great time at Dorney Park!🙂

July 5th, 2026:

We entered Dorney Park for an evening of fun just shortly after 5pm.

Outside the front gate to celebrate America's 250th anniversary was a Liberty Bell. On a side note, this reportedly was relocated from the now closed Six Flags America in Maryland.

All of the Six Flags parks in the US were celebrating the Fourth of July all weekend long with the Star Spangled Nights event. As we visited on July 5th, we were able to take in the last night of the fireworks.

Talon is celebrating 25 years of thrills in 2026!

My first ride of the evening was on the 25 year old Talon! It still provides a thrilling inverted roller coaster experience with some intense forces!

Here's a look at the 2026 park map for Dorney Park. Two rides, the Meteor and Apollo have been removed since our last visit in 2024.

As it was a very hot and humid evening, I took a ride on White Water Landing! I had never been on it during previous visits to the park, so it was nice to finally ride this refreshing ride! This Shoot the Chutes ride was manufactured by Arrow Dynamics and opened at the park in 1993. It features an 80 foot drop!

Up next was a ride on the Demon Drop! It is a must ride as it is the last Intamin Freefall ride in North America and only one of a few still operating Worldwide! It opened at Dorney Park in 2010 after operating at Cedar Point from 1983 to 2009. For a 43 year old ride, it still provides quite the thrill!

Up next was a ride on the Thunder Creek Mountain! I've always enjoyed riding this log flume as it has a very large drop for its finale!

Afterwards, I got a meal with my dining plan at Center Stage Burgers and Fries. I ordered the cheese burger and fries meal. While it was quite basic, the cheese burger (with two patties) was tasty and the fries were nicely seasoned with pepper. While eating my burger and fries, there was a goose that kept coming up to me, expecting me to feed it! His beak was almost on the table at one point! I told him to get lost and that he can't eat burgers and fries!🤣

Up next was a ride on Dominator (down side). Dominator always provides a fun ride experience regardless which tower you choose!

Due to incoming thunder storms, the fireworks show was moved to 8pm. The fireworks show caused Steel Force and all surrounding rides to close around 7:30pm. I took a back seat ride on Steel Force! I forgot how insane it is! I was out of my seat for most of the ride! 😂

Up next, I joined my mom for a ride on Road Rally. It provides a relaxing and scenic car ride along side Thunderhawk and the Zephyr train ride.

Just before the fireworks show began at 8pm, I took a ride on Possessed! It provides an exhilarating ride as the train is propelled forwards and backs through the twisted spike and vertical spike!

The Steel Yard was all decked out for America's 250th!

There was even a pie eating contest to add to the festivities!

Although not dark out, the firework show began shortly after 8pm to beat the incoming storm that would hit the Allentown area shortly after 9pm!

We had a nice vantage point of the fireworks near the Immelmann inversion of Iron Menace.

Luckily the skies were cloudy, so you could see the early firework show!

I like it how Iron Menace's Immelmann inversion framed some of the fireworks.

Some of the fireworks were very colourful.

The red fireworks were quite vibrant against the grey, overcast skies!

Nearing the end of the show, they started setting multiple fireworks off at once.

The sparkling streaming fireworks are always a nice touch.

The finale was an explosive display of fireworks! The red and orange fireworks worked very well!

It was quite the show!

I luckily was able to get many awesome photos of the Star Spangled Nights Fireworks show! Being seated in front of Iron Menace was the best spot for viewing the fireworks!

After the fireworks show, we headed out for the night as the storm was quickly approaching!

July 6th, 2026:

The next morning was still quite overcast, but luckily it was cooler and there was no chance of a thunderstorm!

As it was slightly damp out, the crowds were light throughout the day.

Here's my mom with Pigpen, one of the many Peanuts characters at Dorney Park!

My first ride of the day was on Wild Mouse! I hadn't been on it since 2015, so it was nice to finally relive how insane this coaster is! Maurer sure knows how to make you feel like you're going to be thrown off the edge with their Wild Mouse coasters! 😂

Up next was a ride on the Kaleidoscope Troika ride. Troikas are always such fun!

I then took a spin on the beautiful Wave Swinger.

I was going to take another ride on Talon, but it was closed during the morning. Here's my mom celebrating Talon's 25th anniversary in the test seat! You would never catch her on it! This is as close as you're going to see here on Talon!🤣

I headed down the path to ride Hydra The Revenge. Sadly it still has a bit of a rattle, but is still a fun floorless coaster nonetheless!

As the park wasn't busy, I took in some rides on the classic flat rides. Here's the Tilt-A-Whirl. It offered a ride with tons of spinning during this visit!

As the park wasn't busy, I took in some rides on the classic flat rides. Here's the Tilt-A-Whirl. It offered a ride with tons of spinning during this visit!

I then boarded the Sea Dragon! These Chance manufactured Sea Dragon rides always provide quite the airtime!

I then took a spin on the classic Whip!

Up next, I took a ride on Thunderhawk! It still rides quite well, although it could use a bit of a retracking on the turn around! 🙂

It was a rather quiet day that Steel Force was cycling with almost empty trains! I would take a ride on it shortly after!

Here's a train load of passengers on Thunderhawk zipping along the figure-eight/out-and-back layout!

Revolution was twirling into the sky! I would take a ride on it later in the afternoon!

Sadly Iron Menace was closed during my visit. Luckily I rode Iron Menace back in June 2024 during its debut season!

I took a ride on MT Buckets, a flying scooters ride! This was the new for 2015 ride when I first visited Dorney Park in June of that year! It was originally known as Cedar Creek Flyers!

For lunch I got a chicken sandwich and a side of Caesar salad at the Iron Mill Grill & Bar. 

It was a very delicious crispy chicken sandwich topped with coleslaw, bacon, and pickles!

After a delicious lunch, I took another ride on Possessed! The station was quite empty all day long!

After Possessed, I took my mom on the Zephyr Railroad. It has been delighting park guests since 1935.

Zephyr takes you by some of Dorney Park's rides, including the Iron Menace.

I love points of history like this sign here, as seen from Zephyr Railroad.

You pass over the Cedar Creek during your journey on the Zephyr Railroad.

Here we are enjoying a ride on the Zephyr Railroad.

Up next, I was launched skywards on Dominator!

I then took another ride on Thunder Creek Mountain log flume!

As the park was quiet, I decided to go into the Planet Snoopy section of Dorney Park to ride the Woodstock Express! To my surprise, it was a very fast moving family coaster! I didn't realize how insane these Zamperla family Gravity Coasters are! This one goes around three times! 😂

Sadly the Enterprise was closed during my visit. Hopefully it doesn't get removed as I greatly enjoyed it during my previous visits to Dorney Park!

After I took a ride on the insanely thrilling Woodstock Express, my mom and I took a relaxing ride on the Antique Carousel.

I love how it still has a Wurlitzer Band Organ playing at the center of the ride!

Here's my mom and I on the Antique Carousel.

Talon opened for the day in the early afternoon, so I took a front seat ride on it! I just love how forceful it is! It still remains one of my favourite inverted coasters years later! I then took another ride on the Wild Mouse!

Demon Drop opens around 2pm daily, so I rode it again a while after it opened. Demon Drop is just as fun to ride as it is to watch! The sounds it produces adds to the intensity of the ride!

After another thrilling ride on Demon Drop, I took another ride on Thunderhawk, followed by Steel Force, Revolution and Possessed!

I also took a ride on the Scrambler. Its neon lights are quite beautiful!

For my second meal of the day, I ordered a beef melt with a side of fries at the White Water Tavern, across from White Water Landing. Overall it was another good meal, but the fries were quite bland in flavour.

I took another ride on Talon! Here I am posing for a photo in the test seat!

My final ride of the day was on the park's Dodgem! They move quite fast for bumper cars!

After another great day at Dorney Park, it was time for us to head out! Up next are photos from our two days at Knoebels! 🙂