The following photos and video clips shared in this blog post are from two of my visits to Canada's Wonderland in May 2015. This was a year before I began blogging and documenting my amusement park visits on my blog, Amusement Views!
While the photos might not be much, they do look at Typhoon and Splash Station, the two new attractions for Splash Works that year just before they opened to the public. These photos also look at what would become the home of Yukon Striker four years later in 2019. Be sure to enjoy this blast from the past!
Season Pass Sneak Preview Night - May 1st, 2015:
Here is a view of the Royal Fountain and Wonder Mountain during the 2015 Season Pass Sneak Preview Night. Below is a video clip of the Royal Fountain just as the sun was setting. From what I recall, the night was a calm and clear evening with a little bit of a chill in the air, typical weather for early-May. Unfortunately I did not capture any other photos or videos from the evening.
May 14th, 2015:
May 2015 was bustling with excitement and speculation at Canada's Wonderland! The excitement and speculation was caused by some work being done on the grounds where SkyRider, the park's former Stand-Up coaster had once operated. Little did we know at the time that the area would become home to the World's tallest, longest, and fastest Dive Coaster in the World!
It sure was a beautiful and warm sunny day at the park judging by this photo captured in the morning.
Victoria Falls on Wonder Mountain sure was flowing beautifully as it usually does!
Here is another angle of Victoria Falls from a little further back than the previous shot I had captured.
Below is a video of a bulldozer grading and levelling off the land which SkyRider had formerly operated on from 1985 through 2014. This area has greatly transformed since the addition of Yukon Striker in 2019!
Here is a look at the two new Splash Works attractions for that year. The Typhoon and Splash Station both came from the former Ontario Place water park and had received refurbishments during the off-season before being set up at Canada's Wonderland. When this photo was taken, Splash Works had not yet opened for the season.
If I'm not mistaken, I believe the sign for The Mighty Canadian Minebuster had received a touch-up for the 2015 season. It looks all shiny and new in this photo.
Work was still being completed on the former SkyRider plot during our visit that day.
We'll end this trip report from May 2015 with a beautiful photo of the Antique Carousel surrounded by pink blossoms.
I hope you enjoyed looking at the photos that I had captured during two of my visits to Canada's Wonderland in May 2015! The park has changed quite a bit within the nearly past six years that these photos were taken. Be sure to stay tuned for more photos from the 2015 season! :-)
With only a few weeks remaining of the off-season for many seasonal amusement parks in North America, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my visit to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom (also referred to as Dorney Park) that I took during June 2015. Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom is a seasonal amusement park located in the Lehigh Valley community of Allentown, Pennsylvania. For my brother Scott, our Dad, and I, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom was a perfect vacation destination for us, being our second American amusement park as it has a rich history of over 130 years of operation as an amusement park, having opened in 1884.
While among the smaller amusement parks of the Cedar Fair chain, Dorney Park is home to some of the most enjoyable rides and roller coasters an amusement park can offer. Be sure to sit back and enjoy some of the photos of our first trip we made to the charming and thrilling Dorney Park during late June of 2015!
Here we are, on our way along one the winding and scenic interstates heading through New York State, to Pennsylvania.
You can tell we are nearing Pennsylvania as the mountain sides of the Appalachians begin to appear along the roadside.
We finally arrive in the state of Pennsylvania for our first time ever.
As we near Dorney Park, we travel through the Lehigh Tunnel. It was quite interesting driving through this tunnel.
After many hours of driving, we finally arrived at Dorney Park!
As you can tell, the parking lot was quite busy when we had arrived. By the time the park had closed at 10pm, the parking lot was quite empty.
After we had purchased our two day admission tickets, we entered Dorney Park for the first time. Here is a view of the magnificent Talon, a B&M Inverted roller coaster which opened at the park in 2001. Talon is just one of eight roller coasters which were present at the park when we had visited.
Dorney Park is home to an excellent collection of classic rides and roller coasters, such as the Tilt-A-Whirl.
Some of those classic rides include the Whip, a 1920 W.F. Mangels Company Whip ride. It provides a fun ride as the two-passenger cars are connected to arms in an oval formation, causing the cars to "whip" around the corners. The Whip has been a multi-generational ride that has been enjoyed at Dorney Park for nearly 100 years.
After riding a few rides and roller coasters, we ventured over to Possessed, an Intamin Launched Shuttle coaster which had originally operated at the defunct Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom from 2000-2006. Possessed opened at Dorney Park in 2008 as "Voodoo". In 2009 it was renamed Possessed, which it has been known as ever since. Possessed provides an exhilarating ride as the 28 passenger train is launched at speeds to 70 mph (112.7 km/h), sending it up a twisted vertical spike and a vertical spike multiple times before traversing the vertical spike one final time, causing the train to be stopped nearly 180 feet above the ground before returning back to the station. Possessed is the second of the three inverted roller coasters present at the park in June 2015, the other two being Talon and Stinger.
After riding Possessed, Scott and I ventured over to Steel Force, the park's Morgan Hyper Coaster which opened at the park in 1997. Steel Force is nestled between the hills of Dorney Park and reaches a height of 200 feet with a drop of 205 feet, allowing one of three 36-passenger trains to successfully navigate the 5,600 feet of track at speeds up to 75 mph (121 km/h). Throughout the duration of the ride, passengers can experience airtime filled hills, banked curves, and tunnels. Steel Force is the tallest attraction at Dorney Park and can easily be seen from a fair distance away from the park.
Speaking of tall attractions, here is a photo of the entrance to Dominator, a 180 foot tall S&S power tower. The Dominator opened at Dorney Park in 1999 and can blast passengers up the tower or down the 175 foot tall tower at 40 mph (64.4 km/h) in a matter of seconds, providing quite an adrenaline rush and a view of the surrounding area, if you are able to keep your eyes open! Below is an off-ride video of Dominator at Dorney Park filmed by myself on June 25th, 2015.
After riding Steel Force and Dominator, Scott and I boarded Thunderhawk, Dorney Park's classic wooden roller coaster manufactured by PTC which opened in 1924. Thunderhawk, originally known as simply "Coaster" until 1989 features an exciting figure-8 track layout which was implemented in 1930, previously featuring an out-and-back track layout. The 2015 season was the final season for the PTC buzz-bar trains on Thunderhawk. They were replaced by PTC individual ratcheting lap bar trains in 2016. After riding Thunderhawk, we enjoyed the remainder of the evening riding many of the rides and roller coasters at Dorney Park until closing time, which was at 10pm.
Prior to visiting Dorney Park for our second day on June 25th, we were able to capture these great shots of the park from across the street. In this photo, you can notice that the park was built in a valley, allowing only the park's tallest attractions to stick out.
Here is a second photo showing Dorney Park as seen from across the street.
Here is myself, our Dad, and Scott posing for a photo in front of the main entrance to Dorney Park before entering for our second day of fun. This photo was taken by one of the park's friendly security guards.
During the final 20 minutes prior to opening for the day, park staff entertained those waiting outside the front gate by providing photo opportunities with Snoopy, meet and greets with the "Mayor" of Dorney Park, and shout outs to park visitors. We had a shout out provided due to being from the Province of Ontario. Once the one minute mark came around for the park to open for the day, a countdown accompanied by confetti took place. The opening day celebration provided by Dorney Park made the wait much more exciting and entertaining. It is too bad more parks don't provide such entertainment prior to opening for the day.
Once inside Dorney Park, we began our second day by riding Stinger, a Vekoma Invertigo model which opened up at the park in 2012. The Stinger was Scott and I's second Invetigo model roller coaster. The first we had encountered was the Invertigo at Kings Island, which we rode one year prior to visiting Dorney Park. The Invertigo model is like a traditional Boomerang coaster, which takes the passenger train up the first hill backwards, to then release it down the first drop, allowing it to pass through the station, up through the cobra roll inversion, then through the vertical loop. It then enters the second angled track to then release backwards and traverse the track again. The difference between the Boomerang and the Invertigo models are passengers ride below the track on the Invertigo model, facing each other with their legs dangling, making it the ultimate thrill. Unfortunately, Stinger was closed and removed from Dorney Park following the 2017 season, ultimately being scrapped.
After having an enjoyable and thrilling ride on Stinger, we had ventured next door and came to the all-new for 2015 "Cedar Creek Flyers", a Larson Flying Scooter ride. At the time we had visited Dorney Park, this was my first Flying Scooter ride. While not thrilling, it provided a fun ride as you can swoop the cars up and down as the ride spins.
After riding some of the dry rides, we decided it was time to ride the Thunder Creek Mountain log flume. This classic log flume was manufactured by Barr Engineering and opened at the park in 1982. Like most log flume rides, Thunder Creek Mountain provides a scenic ride as passengers ride in a log shaped boat which navigates a water flume. They also get a close up view of Hydra the Revenge, the park's floorless coaster while on Thunder Creek Mountain. Nearing the end of the ride, the boat then descends the final drop, splashing down into the trough below, offering a somewhat wet, but not soaking experience.
Shortly after riding the enjoyable and fun Thunder Creek Mountain log flume on the other side of the park, my brother Scott and I had headed over to ride the Thunder Canyon river rapids ride while our Dad watched. The Thunder Canyon is unlike some river rapids rides out there. Added to Dorney Park in 1995, the Thunder Canyon lives up to its name as it has thundering waterfalls around every turn as the passengers ride in large circular rafts. Barr Engineering sure knew how to create an extremely soaking river rapids ride! By the time Scott and I were done our ride on Thunder Canyon, we were completely drenched that we didn't completely dry out until that evening, once in our hotel! It also didn't help that the sun had disappeared behind the clouds!
In an attempt to dry off, we decided to take a ride on the park's newer train ride, the Cedar Creek Cannon Ball.
While riding the Cedar Creek Cannon Ball train, you ride up along the Thunder Canyon river rapids ride. You can see what I meant by waterfalls around every turn! There is no way of escaping no matter how hard you try!
After taking a relaxing ride on the Cedar Creek Cannon Ball, we decided to visit the water park, Wild Water Kingdom since we were soak and the fact that we had brought out swim gear along. On our way over, I had captured this view of the Wild Mouse, a Maurer Wild Mouse. I had rode this during our first evening and it was quite wild in the dark as I recall. Then my brother and I had rode the Wild Mouse during our second day and noticed that the cars rocked quite a bit as it went around the tight bends. I suppose that is the reason as to why there were loading restrictions in place. Despite the fact, it provided an exciting ride for a Wild Mouse coaster!
Here is the entrance to Wildwater Kingdom, Dorney Park's admission-included water park.
Wildwater Kingdom is home to a wide variety of water slides for everyone of all ages and intensity levels! I recall having a great time at their water park looking nearly three years back, despite the afternoon being overcast.
After spending time in Wildwater Kingdom, we headed back in the dry section of the park to enjoy and re-enjoy the rides they had to offer. One of those rides in the former up-charge attraction, the Screamin' Swing. This dual compressed air pendulum ride was produced by S&S of Logan, Utah and sent passengers sky high as the arms swing back and forth, eventually reaching a maximum height of 60 feet! I couldn't pass up this up-charge as it was only $2 per ride! I rode it twice that day, once in the video below and once in the evening when we returned while it was raining!
Before we get to the video of me riding the Screamin' Swing, here I am being secured in before the ride began!
The beautiful Wave Swinger has been a feature at Dorney Park since 1985. It was manufactured by Zierer and makes for a perfect ride for all members of the family to enjoy.
The Gondola Wheel offers great views of Dorney Park as it rises 90 feet above the ground, seeming much taller due to its location on the hill.
Here is the fun and colourful, Eyerly manufactured Monster! The Monster is a rare ride at amusement parks these days as there are only four operating in North America as of April 2018.
This was not officially our final time through the gates of Dorney Park as we had returned that evening to check out the park in the rain, ride the Antique Carousel, ride the Screamin' Swing, and play games in the arcade! It was a truly memorable time!
Here is our arcade winnings once we returned to the hotel across the street. A huge bagful of candies! :-)
Here is an on-ride photo of Scott and I on one of our many rides on Talon during the first evening at the park!
Here is an on-ride photo of Scott and I on Hydra The Revenge, the B&M floorless coaster which opened at the park in 2005. Hydra The Revenge features a one of a kind jo-jo roll inversion right out of the station, hanging you upside down momentarily before heading to the lift hill. Hydra the Revenge also features six more inversions throughout the duration of the ride, all experienced with your legs dangling above the track! It is quite the experience!
Well, that is all for our trip to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom we had done during June 24th-25th, 2015. I hope you enjoyed following along and seeing the views of Dorney Park for yourself from nearly three years ago! I know we definitely had an enjoyable time during our first visit and left with everlasting memories of a park that we greatly enjoyed! Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for new 2018 amusement park visit reports coming soon as the season gets underway in a few short weeks! :-)
