Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom sits in Dorneyville, Pennsylvania, just outside Allentown, where it traces its roots to 1860, when Solomon Dorney built a trout hatchery and summer resort on the site. He opened the grounds to the public in 1870, and by 1884 the attraction had grown into the amusement park that still carries his name today, now ranked among the oldest continuously operating amusement parks in the country.
The park spans 200 acres and pairs eight roller coasters with the 26-slide Wildwater Kingdom water park next door. Steel Force, a 1997 hyper coaster that climbs 200 feet and hits 75 mph, remains the park’s tallest and fastest ride, while its newest addition, the Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster Iron Menace, arrived in 2024 with a beyond-vertical 95-degree drop.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Dorneyville, Pennsylvania (near Allentown)
- Operator: Six Flags
- Opened: 1884
- Size: 200 acres
- Roller Coasters: 8
- Oldest Ride: Thunderhawk (wooden coaster, 1924)
- Tallest/Fastest Ride: Steel Force (200 ft, 75 mph)
- Signature Attraction: Iron Menace (B&M dive coaster, 2024)
The Ride Experience
Dorney Park’s coaster lineup spans a century of ride engineering. Thunderhawk, a wooden coaster built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters in 1924, is one of the oldest operating roller coasters in the country and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. Steel Force, a 1997 hyper coaster, climbs 200 feet and stretches over a mile of track at speeds up to 75 mph, while Bolliger & Mabillard added the inverted Talon in 2001 and the floorless Hydra: The Revenge in 2005.
Iron Menace and Wildwater Kingdom
In 2024, Dorney Park debuted Iron Menace, a Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster that lifts riders about 160 feet before a beyond-vertical 95-degree drop, four inversions, and speeds up to 64 mph — the park’s first new coaster since Hydra in 2005. Steel Force still holds the park’s height and speed records. Next door, Wildwater Kingdom rounds out the visit with 26 water slides and family-friendly attractions, giving guests two parks on one ticket throughout the May-to-November season.
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Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.
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Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom FAQs
When did Dorney Park open?
The site dates back to 1860 as Solomon Dorney’s trout hatchery and resort, but the amusement park traces its official founding to 1884, making it one of the oldest continuously operating amusement parks in the United States.
Who owns Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom?
Six Flags owns and operates the park, following the 2024 merger of Cedar Fair and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
What is the tallest and fastest ride at Dorney Park?
Steel Force, a 1997 hyper coaster, holds both records at the park, reaching 200 feet tall and speeds of 75 mph over more than a mile of track — even after the 2024 arrival of Iron Menace, the park’s dive coaster.
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Photo: Unknown photographer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.