Pennsylvania Amusement Park 2012 Season Passes now available

Conneaut Lake Park, DelGrosso's Amusement Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park and the Island Waterpark, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Dec 212011

Many of the amusement parks in Pennsylvania offer season passes for their guests.  In most cases these passes can be a considerable savings over purchases single day tickets if you visit the park three or more times.  Check out each park’s website below for details on their 2012 Season Pass offerings.

Conneaut Lake Park – Season passes are not available to Conneaut Lake Park.  Check the park’s website here for ticket information.

Delgrosso’s Amusement Park – Delgrosso’s is a free admission amusement park that offers season passes for rides and the waterpark.  Pass holders can bring a buddy for free on Tuesdays. A discount is being offered on the passes but no end date is listed.  Visit the park’s website for information here.

Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom – Dorney has a buy now don’t pay until March plan in place for their season passes until 12/31/11.  The regular season pass includes admission to all Dorney Park and Wild Water events plus free parking. A platinum pass is available that gives you access to all Cedar Fair parks (with a few exceptions) in the US.  Platinum passes do not include seasonal events at some parks. See the Dorney Park website here for details.

Dutch Wonderland – Dutch Wonderland has discount prices prior to 1/1/12.  Dutch Wonderland season passes include entry to all Dutch Wonderland events. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. See website here for complete season pass details.

Hersheypark – Hersheypark has discount pass prices prior to 1/1/12.  Hersheypark Season passes include entry to all Hersheypark events and free parking. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012.  A Discovery Pass upgrade is also available that includes other Hershey attractions. See website here for complete details.

Idlewild – Idlewild & Soakzone has discount pass prices if you buy 4 or more.  They also offer a bring-a-buddy free day for season pass holders.  See website for details here.

Kennywood – Season passes to Kennywood are available at a discounted price through 12-31-11 and are further discounted if you buy 4 or more.  Season passes to Kennywood include regular season events but do NOT include Phantom Fright Nights. They do include buddy discount events. Visit their website here for details.

Knoebels – Knoebels is a free entry park and they do not offer season passes.  They do offer discounts on ride tickets and wristbands at certain times.  Visit their website here for details.

Lakemont Park – No information is available at this time.

Sesame Place – Sesame Place is offering a discount on their season passes through 12/31/11.  They have different types of passes which include free admission or discounts to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other parks or just to Sesame Place.  The passes include free parking and regular season admission only.  Choose carefully from their website here.

Waldameer – Though Waldameer is a free admission park, they do offer season passes to cover the cost of rides.  Waldameer is the only park in Pennsylvania to limit the number of season passes it sells, so make sure you get one early if you want one since they sold out last year.  Visit the website here for details.

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Want to know more about Dorney Park’s new Dinosaurs Alive! attraction?

Dorney Park No Responses »
Dec 172011

Dorney Park will be getting a new Dinosaurs Alive! attraction for 2012.  Created by Dinosaurs Unearthed, the attraction will feature up close and personal interaction with a cast of more than 35 life size animatronic dinosaurs.  If you want to see more about the company bringing this new attraction to life at Doreny Park, check out the Dinosaurs Unearthed website here.

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Dorney Park’s Stinger getting ready for 2012

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Dec 172011

Dorney Park’s new-to-them ride, Stinger, has completed basic construction and now they are working on the station.  NewsPlusNotes has a really nice update on
their blog here. The Stinger used to reside on the West Coast at California’s Great America.  It was built in 1998 by Vekoma and was removed from that park in 2011. Stinger will open at Dorney Park for the 2012 season.

You can find the details of this ride, and everything else you might want to know about anything amusement park related, on Wikipedia in their Amusement Parks Portal here.

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Want to find some Thrills and Chills this Fall? Check out all the Halloween offerings from Pennsylvania Amusement Parks

Conneaut Lake Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Sep 232011

Bumper Cars re-themed for Halloween during Hersheypark in the Dark

If you like Halloween AND you like amusement parks AND you live within driving distance of the state of Pennsylvania, you are one lucky person. Our amazing Pennsylvania amusement parks have conjured up 9 different Halloween festivities encompassing parks across the entire state.

Whether you want to be a little scared, a lot scared or positively terrified – Pennsylvania has got a park for you.  Here is a complete listing of Halloween park festivities including links to the park’s websites to make it easy to get all the info you need to plan your trip.

Please BEWARE that some of the activities are not appropriate for younger children or those who frighten easily.  I’ve tagged the general audience type at the beginning of the entry to make it easy to tell what is appropriate for you.

 

Happy Halloween!!!!

 

Conneaut Lake Park
FAMILY FUN: CLP is haunting its classic amusement park this fall on September and October weekends for young and old during their Ghost Lake event.  With 8 layers of haunting and a wonderful past midnight schedule, this is not to be missed.  Check out their website here.

 

Dorney Park
FAMILY FUN: For the younger set, DP is putting on a Boo!Blast during the daytime hours on the weekends during September and October.  Meant for children 56 inches or shorter, this event features rides, crafts and special PEANUTS character activities.  Check out the website here.
13 AND OVER ONLY: For those 13 and older DP puts on a night time fright time with their Halloween Haunt during October and November.  Don’t plan to wear your costume to this one, but prepare to be scared with 8 outdoor mazes, 4 indoor mazes and 2 themed shows in addition to most of the regular park rides.  Check out the website here.

 
Dutch Wonderland
FAMILY FUN:  On weekends in October Dutch Wonderland features Happy Hauntings including trick-or-treating, themed rides and storytelling.  Dutch Wonderland’s main age group is ten and under but this truly is a family park with parents often having as much fun as the kids.  View their Happy Hauntings video at their website here.

 

Hersheypark
FAMILY FUN:  On weekends in October Hersheypark turns itself into Hersheypark in the Dark for families with all ages to enjoy.  Trick-or-treating, re-themed rides and special Halloween treats are featured throughout the park. Check out all the details on what’s going on at Hershey in and out of the park at the Halloween in Hershey website here.

 

Idlewild
FAMILY FUN: Just voted the best children’s amusement park in the world for the second year in a row by Amusement Today (Hooray!!), Idlewild is again putting on their HallowBoo event on October weekends.  With trick-or-treating in Storybook forest plus themed rides and attractions, you can be sure a good time will be had by all.  Check out their website here.

 

Kennywood
OVER 13 ONLY:  It’s Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights 10th anniversary beginning Sept 30th and you can bet they will pull out all the stops.  Open till 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, an amusement park at night is definitely a scary place to be – add in the ghouls, vampires and zombies and, well, bring it on!  Check out their website here.

 

Knoebels
FAMILY FUN: They survived the flood and scored a Golden Ticket for Best Amusement Park food (beating out EPCOT!!!!) and now they’re ready for some Hallow-Fun Nights on October weekends at Knoebels.  With themed rides and special snacks and crafts, Knoebels is a fun time for the entire family. Check the Knoebels website here.

 

Sesame Place
FAMILY FUN: It just so happens that my favorite muppet is hosting a Halloween party at Sesame Place beginning on Sept. 24th.  The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular takes place during Sept. and Oct. Weekends and features re-themed rides, 2 mazes, 3 Halloween shows and the Sesame Street characters dressed up in their Halloween best.  Geared toward the younger set but fun for anyone who has a soft spot for Sesame Street, it’s not too spooky, but lots of fun.  Check out the website here.

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Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom expanding? They've got 7 new acres to play with so maybe they will.

Dorney Park No Responses »
Jun 102011

This has been all over the local news.  Cedar Fair (owners of Dorney Park and Wildwater) made a bid to Lehigh County for the 7 acres adjacent to the park.  The bid was accepted.   You can see one news article about the deal here.

My hope is that Dorney will get a chance at some new rides of its own since lately all its been getting is hand-me-downs.  OK, they did get brand new Planet Snoopy and I love the beagle so I can’t knock that overhaul, but adults might appreciate something new too.

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2011 Opening Days at Pennsylvania's Amusement Parks

Conneaut Lake Park, DelGrosso's Amusement Park, Dorney Park, Dutch Wonderland, Hersheypark, Idlewild and SoakZone, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park and the Island Waterpark, Sesame Place, Waldameer Water World No Responses »
Apr 282011

We’ve got the best Amusement Parks right here in Pennsylvania to visit and the season is officially starting this weekend in many parks.  To view the opening date for YOUR favorite park (or perhaps a new park you’d like to visit) check out our list below.  

Please note that parks with water features may not fully open until later in the season – usually Memorial Day weekend – so be sure to click on the name of the park to go to the calendar page on their website for more details on what activities will be available.

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Dorney Park to join Hersheypark with a new coaster in 2012

Dorney Park No Responses »
Apr 072011

The online website SouthWhitehallPatch has reported that the local authorities have approved the plan for Dorney Park to add a new inverted coaster in 2012. 

The coaster is reportedly going to be the Invertigo coaster formerly operated at California’s Great America park.  Information on California’s Great America’s website here supports this statement without directly saying where the coaster will be going.  Nothing is posted at Dorney Park’s public website yet.

You can see the full article here.  Or you can read another article from the Morning Call here.

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More Proof that PA is the best place for park lovers - article on remaining trolley parks and 4 out of 11 are in Pennsylvania, Kennywood and Dorney Park included

Dorney Park, Kennywood No Responses »
Jul 232010

Jim Futrell THE Amusement Park Historian of PA is mentioned in an article for ABC news discussing the remaining trolley parks in the United States and Pennsylvania is well represented.

If you aren’t much up on the history of small amusement parks then you may not realize that many parks began as a drop off point for a local trolley company.  The trolley companies would build these parks, or sponsor them, for their employees to enjoy during their leisure time to raise ridership of their street cars and trains on weekends.  Industrial towns did not have much going to having a beautiful outdoor place to gather and picnic was a definite perk in drawing new people to a town.  Many of these parks eventually grew into small amusement parks featuring simple rides and food vendors.

Most of these trolley parks are no longer in existance, but Pennsylvania still has four:  Kennywood, Dorney Park, Waldemeer Park and Lakemont Park.  If you like to find out more, check out the article here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 4:13 am Tagged with:

Dorney Park to get Demon Drop ride in 2010

Dorney Park No Responses »
Dec 142009

If you are a fan of rides that take you up fast and drop you even faster, head to Dorney Park this summer to ride Demon Drop.

Originally housed at Cedar Point, this Intamin freefall ride is being installed at Dorney Park for the 2010 season.  Dorney’s website shows no signs of the ride, but details on the move and a photo of the ride can be found here.

Posted by ShawnMarie at 8:00 am Tagged with:
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