Laser was a steel looping roller coaster that operated at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, from 1986 until 2008. Built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by Werner Stengel, the ride was a “Double Looping” model originally engineered as a portable attraction for traveling fairs before Dorney Park installed it as a permanent fixture. Its name paid tribute to Laser 104.1, a local Hot AC radio station popular at the time of the ride’s debut.
Over its 22-year run, Laser became a fan favorite for its compact but intense layout, sending riders through two back-to-back vertical loops at speeds up to 52 mph. The coaster closed for good on November 1, 2008, after which it was sold to German showmen Meyer & Rosenzweig. It was relocated overseas and toured the German fair circuit under the name Teststrecke, occasionally appearing in the Netherlands as well, before moving to Saudi Arabia, where it operates today.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
- Manufacturer: Schwarzkopf
- Opened: 1986
- Closed: November 1, 2008
- Height: about 93 feet
- Top speed: about 52 mph
- Length: about 2,200 feet
- Inversions: 2
The Ride Experience
Laser’s layout was built around its signature feature: two back-to-back vertical loops that gave the coaster its looping reputation despite a relatively modest 93-foot height. Each of its two seven-car trains carried 28 riders, with riders seated two across in racing car-themed seats secured by single lap bars. The ride lasted about two minutes from chain lift to brake run, delivering a fast, punchy circuit that made it one of Dorney Park’s more intense offerings for guests over 48 inches tall.
As a Schwarzkopf-built machine, Laser reflected the German manufacturer’s reputation for smooth, forceful steel coasters in a compact footprint. Because the model was originally designed as a portable fairground ride, its structure was more transportable than many permanent installations of the era, a trait that ultimately made its later relocation to Europe possible.
Closure and Afterlife
Dorney Park removed Laser at the close of the 2008 season, ending its 22-year run in Allentown. A nearby kiddie coaster called Little Laser was subsequently renamed Steel First, in honor of the park’s larger Steel Force coaster, once its namesake was gone.
Rather than being scrapped, Laser was sold to the German showman partnership Meyer & Rosenzweig, who reassembled it as a traveling fairground attraction renamed Teststrecke (“Test Track”). It debuted in its new identity in Germany in 2009 and traveled the European fair circuit for a decade, ending with a 2019 run at Vienna’s Prater. It was then sold to Britain’s Mellors Group and shipped to Saudi Arabia, where Sela Group has operated it since 2021, giving the old Dorney Park coaster a second life far from Pennsylvania.
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Laser Photo Archive: July 2001
These are original ThrillZing photos of Laser taken at Dorney Park on July 16 and 17, 2001, restored and upscaled from the original camera files. They show the Schwarzkopf double-looper in its lime-green and navy paint: the entrance sign, trains through the loops and over the lift, the layout from the midway, and the ride silhouetted at sunset. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.
2001 · 14 photos
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Keeps your phone strapped to you, not in a loose-article bin. Zip it before the lift hill and walk straight off the exit ramp.
Rapids, log flumes and splash zones without the rice-bag aftermath. The touchscreen still works through the window, so you can still take photos.
Laser FAQs
When did Laser operate at Dorney Park?
Laser operated at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom from 1986 until it closed on November 1, 2008.
Who manufactured Laser?
Laser was built by German manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf, with the layout designed by Werner Stengel’s engineering firm.
What happened to Laser after it closed?
The coaster was sold to German showmen Meyer & Rosenzweig, relocated overseas, and operated as a traveling fairground ride in Germany under the name Teststrecke from 2009 to 2019. It has since moved to Saudi Arabia, where it is operated by Sela Group.
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Photo: Coaster J / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.