A Visit From Fox 43

Happy Hauntings Report

As a Season Pass holder for the last two years, I can easily say I've been to Dutch Wonderland at least 30 times in those two years. This evening was without a doubt...the most crowded I have ever seen the park! The lines for rides at Happy Hauntings was insane!

We got up to the area around 5:00pm and noticed from the parking lot that attendance was high, so we decided to go grab some food and let some of the toddler audience dwindle out of the park. The nearby Fuddrucker's is now closed, which I didn't know until pulling into the parking lot. It wasn't on our radar, but I'll just add that the Texas Roadhouse next door was mobbed with a huge crowd waiting outside. We ventured over to Red Robin across the street which displayed a "00 Minutes Wait Time". We were handed a pager and told a 10 minute wait when we walked inside. Luckily, we didn't wait more than two minutes and to top that off - the food was ready in record time.

So, we headed back over to DW at 6 and while parking was still crowded we managed to find a pretty good random spot on the field in front of the Kingdom Coaster. Inside the park, walkways were manageable but every ride had a huge line waiting to get on. The people waiting for the train filled the queue and made a long line down past the loading platform. The line for the Turtle Whirl was all the way back past the swings! Huge waits at the Turnpike, Monorail, even VR Voyager had a ship full of people waiting in line.

The Trick or Treat Trail this year has moved to the path along the back of the park. The line starts near the Bumper Cars. There was a long line to get into the Trail, but it did move quickly. The Trail benefits from it's new location as it's very scenic and less twisty turney than over at Duke's Lagoon. Another nice touch that Dutch Wonderland does is giving each adult a ticket good for one trick or treat of their choosing. If you are like me and trying to hold out for the biggest piece of candy, may I suggest you cash your ticket in for the Reese's Pumpkin which on this night was being handed out the the Disco Shack. If you were at Happy Hauntings last year, you may have seen the Disco Shack from the train, this year you can actually go into the Shack and get your groove on if you desire. As a Dutch Wonderland historian, it was nice to be able to go inside the former Hobo Shack again, even if there is nothing in it besides some lights.

Our game plan was to ride the crowds out, hoping attendance would drop later in the evening and we could get a few rides in. We caught the 7:30 performance of the Halloween show, "Molly's Wacky Witch's Brew" at the Celebration Theatre. Afterwards, still plenty of crowds. A huge wait at the train. We went back to the Kingdom Coaster - excited to grab a ride in the dark - and the line filled the queue on the ground behind the station. In fact, I have never even seen the queue set up the way they had it to accommodate large crowds. We've done every ride in that park at least 50 times, and the kids and I just decided to leave and call it a night. They had a bag full of tricks or treats, so they were happy.

Don't take any of this as complaining. I'm glad to see Dutch Wonderland doing such a great business. If anything, I was shocked to see the crowds that were there. I spent last week in Walt Disney World and didn't see lines for rides like I saw tonight at little ol' DW! I suspect a Sunday night would be a bit less crowded. If you plan on going, I would get there at 3:00 when they open and do as many rides as you can before the park fills up! There's plenty of Not-So-Scary fun to be had all over Dutch Wonderland, even with a crowd it's still a fun place to be!

Lady Gay Riverboat

The Lady Gay River Boat was constructed in 1963 and has

undergone two rebuilds, one in 1988 and another in 2002. It hails its name from the

riverboat located at the former Rocky Springs Amusement Park in Lancaster, Pa.

 

Postcard of the original Lady Gay Riverboat at Rocky Springs Park. John B. Peoples, who owned a competing bathing resort across the river, transported people to both parks on the Lady Gay steamerwhich ran a mile long circuit from Witmer's Bridge at Bridgeport to the bathing resorts.

 

brochure from Rocky Springs Park

September at DW

Green Dates - Open until 8:30
Yellow Dates - Park Closes at 6

Saturday 9/1 & Sunday 9/2 are the last two days of the season that Dutch Wonderland is open until 8:30pm. Monday 9/3 (Labor Day) is the last weekday of the regular season, closing at 6:00pm. Labor Day weekend is traditionally very crowded with Monday being the most busy day. The Kingdom will be open 10-6 weekends through the rest of the month.

This is also the last weekend of operation for Duke's Lagoon. After Monday the water will be turned off until Memorial Day 2013.

The Entertainment Schedule has also made a change from it's original announcement in the Spring. Swingin' Safari was scheduled to return September 1 but instead Superstar Funfest will be held over at the Celebration Theatre. DW's own Duke the Dragon will be the special guest star until October 7.

New Sandcastle

Look for this new Sandcastle structure that replaced the smaller one in the toddler section of Duke's Lagoon. The new larger sandcastle is more interactive, and you can even go inside it!

Your DW Pass at Hersheypark

I was curious to see if my Dutch Wonderland season pass would offer me any benefits once inside Hersheypark...

Dutch Wonderland is no longer owned by the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, but there is still some association between the two parks. Both parks offer a Gold Pass as a Season Pass option which entitles the holder to unlimited admission to both The Sweetest Place on Earth and the Kingdom for Kids for a whole calendar year. Beyond that offer, regular season pass holders of Dutch Wonderland can receive $10.00 off a full-day admission to Hersheypark.

We went to Hershey this past week. I had Comp. tickets from last year, but figured it wouldn't hurt to see if my DW pass would allow me any other discounts or benefits once at Hersheypark. It was a hit or miss affair, but mostly hit!

• I received free parking in the Hersheypark parking lot. That's a savings of $12.00!
• We got a discount on lunch at Minetown Restaurant. (I forgot to check exactly what the discount was, but it was considerable.)
• I also got a discount on treats at the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Parlor in the Boardwalk section.
• The only time I was denied a discount was at one of the large gift shops just before you exit through the turnstiles.

Even though the Dutch Wonderland Season Pass Privileges and Guidelines states only the $10.00 discount for tickets, it's obviously worthwhile to bring your DW pass along and just ask. It can't hurt.

Merlin's Restaurant Opens

As we've already mentioned several times, Dutch Wonderland enters the business of full-service restaurants with the debut of Merlin's Restaurant - located inside DW's iconic Wonderland Castle. The new dining facility replaces half of the Castle Gift Shop as well as a portion of the former Castle Cafe. Merlin's offers a slightly more relaxed dining experience than the hustle and bustle of the Mill Stream Eatery. You enter the restaurant through an entrance located next to the Royal Family Photos booth in the front of the park. During construction, it looked as if you would be able to visit the restaurant without admission to the park, but that is not the case.

 Merlin himself now resides at DW. On this particular day, he was pretty much stationed right inside the main entrance all day greeting guests to the park. Merlin will also be part of the park's new reservations only Character Breakfast experience which will be held at Merlin's Restaurant beginning in July.

 A nice overview of the menu, posted outside the restaurant's doors.

 This insane sandwich seems out of place on the menu at a park geared towards 2 to 10 year olds.

 During construction it did not appear that the venue would seat many people, but the actual size of the restaurant should accommodate large crowds with a minimal wait time.

 The layout is comprised of tables and chairs and booths which could easily hold 6 people.

On to the menu...the offerings are an attempt to step up a notch from the normal amusement park food. Their signature dish is the Dragon Fire and Ice. It's a goblet of creamy Mac n' Cheese served with buffalo chicken bites and crumbled blue cheese on top. (They were out of the blue cheese on my visit.) The mac n' cheese was really good and the buffalo bites were tasty as well. They mixed nice together, and I'm sure the blue cheese would have added the Ice to the Fire & Ice. It's kind of a small portion for $10.99, it comes with two sides - I had fries and a garden salad.

 There are had been some preopening hype that Merlin's was to offer Gluten Free menu options...here's the option: A plate of chicken tenders and star shaped tater tots. I believe this was the exact same offering at the Castle Cafe. It's also the most kid friendly choice on the menu, but does not come in a kid meal size - so you'll be paying $9.99 which is a bit high for a child's meal.

A nice touch at the new restaurant is the use of Souvenir cups. Not only do they sell them, but they also honor the 99 cents refill policy of the park. So drinks don't need to set you back three bucks a person.

Overall review: The room has nice atmosphere. It does feel like you are eating in a whimsical medieval castle. Bright colors and interesting lighting fixtures help to sell that story. The menu offers some unique dishes but too unique for kids. In a park geared toward children, ordering off a simple kids menu of staples like pizza, chicken tenders, hot dog, hamburger ect. ect. would make things alot easier for a parent who has had a long day in the park. The upcoming character breakfast should add a nice touch to the park's lineup of experiences.

Vintage Brochure

Today we have for your viewing pleasure, a very old brochure announcing the wonders of Dutch Wonderland! I would imagine this publicity material is from one of the very first few seasons of the park as there are not many rides listed as attractions. See if you can pick out what's gone and what's still kicking!

Merlin's Opens, Bikes For Dad

Progress at Merlin's as of 5/12/12

This was the scene just a few weeks ago at the future home of Dutch Wonderland's first full service restaurant, Merlin's. Now, according to the DW website, Merlin is scheduled to host his first guests this Saturday - May 26th. I assume a table at Merlin's will require a little more than just walking up and grabbing a table. The space appears to be somewhat small but more importantly, Dutch Wonderland has a very dedicated Season Pass crowd that is probably anxious to try out this new experience. Given that character meals at Walt Disney World are hugely popular, one can only assume that the same magic (demand) will be felt on a smaller scale at the Kingdom For Kids. Anyone who is lucky enough to snag a table on opening day will also be entered into a drawing for a Free Character Breakfast in the near future.

Also just announced for Father's Day, the OCC Sunoco Chopper motorcycle will be on display at the park. The custom-built bike is the first to resemble a vintage board-track racer and reflects the key elements of Sunoco’s history. I know nothing about cars, yet alone motorcycles, so that last sentence meant nothing to me but the bike will be near the Fun Slide Sunday, June 14 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Duke's Lagoon Opens

There are three things you need to know about Dutch Wonderland this weekend:

1. Duke's Lagoon opens!
2. Saturday and Sunday are the first days of the season the park is open until 8:30pm
3. Daily operations begin Memorial Day, however the park is only open until 6:00pm until June 8 (except for the weekends)

Random Snapshots - 5/12/12

Wonderland Special

A real turtle hanging out in Dragon's Lair

Cow on the banks of the Mill Stream

Duke Hits The Road

This unusual news popped up on my Facebook feed yesterday; it appears our good buddy Duke The Dragon is also setting up residence in sister park Story Land in Glen, New Hampshire. Story Land is a small park, similar in size and scope to Dutch Wonderland. The park opened in 1956 and today features 21 family oriented ride plus 7 shows and other attractions. Story Land was operated by the family-owned Morrell Corporation from 1954 to 2007. It eventually came under the ownership of Palace Entertainment, the same company that runs Pennsylvania's Kennywood, Idlewild Park and Dutch Wonderland.

Duke the Dragon will be visiting New Hampshire guests at the park all summer long in addition to making appearances at Character Meals and staring in a second edition of his popular show; Duke's Dance Party!

Story Land kicks off their 2012 season Memorial Day Weekend.

Be A Royal Chef

If you happen to be at the park on a day when there are not birthday parties scheduled, you might get the chance to try on of these neat looking Duke The Dragon Cookies. When the Birthday Party Room in not in use, the area is sometime used to as a space to decorate cookies. Kids can take one of these larger than average cookies and cover it with frosting, sprinkles and a variety of other goodies. The project will set you back $5 a cookie, but it is a one of the more unique experiences beyond the castle walls. In addition to the cookie and decorating supplies, kids will also receive a chef hat and apron which I'm sure makes the whole event a picture perfect afternoon. The attraction is also equipped to sell you souvenir soda bottles and refills.

Happy Mother's Day!

We're not quite sure whose egg this is, but it's gotta be somebody's Mother.

Celebration Theater

There are some changes made to entertainment venues this year at Dutch Wonderland. The biggest change is the Really Useful Theatre behind the train station in the front of the park has now been redubbed Celebration Theater. Thomas The Tank Engine has chugged out of DW and the space has been updated to accommodate some new guests. While the seating for the show is still underneath a giant tent, DW has built a more permanent structure/stage to house the shows. Celebration Theatre will feature a rotating schedule of shows through out the season.

First up is Swingin' Safari, a fairly basic DW show with a male and female singer who take audiences on a make-believe trip to Africa in search of some rare animals. There are plenty of songs and an emphasis on audience participation. The music is a collection of well known pop songs slightly retailored to fit the safari theme. They even got my 8 year old (who thinks he's too cool for such things) out of his seat dancing to Crocodile Rock. As always, the performers are energetic and engaging.

The new Celebration Theater near the front of the park.

The former Really Useful Theatre is now home to Swingin' Safari.

The Amphitheater

The Amphitheater in the center of park is still home to Bubba Bear and the Badland Bears. You can also now find your favorite Dutch Wonderland friends there for a special new Meet and Greet. Have your picture taken with Duke or get an autograph from Princess Brooke. The times of each characters appearances are available on the Entertainment Schedule, currently a separate hand-out from the park map. The Amphitheater also makes a great spot for a photo between shows thanks to the nifty new Castle backdrop they've added to the theatre.

Have A Drink

Here's the lowdown on Souvenir Refillable Cups at Dutch Wonderland for the 2012 season: New cups are in and available at the same prices - $6.99 for the large and $2.99 for the toddler cup. The new designs are green and purple, respectively and feature the DW gang along with their new friend, Merlin, who will be heading up his own restaurant in a few weeks. The cups are available at several locations throughout the park, however on opening day the Mill Stream Eatery did not stock the new cups and still had plenty of supply of last year's yellow topped toddler cups and purple large cups. So if you want to seek out the new design, I suggest heading over to the Dole Whip Junction which had a large collection of both cups. (That's where I snapped this photo too!)

Another nice addition to the park this year is Vending Machines with Credit Card capability. You can swipe your credit card and purchase beverages, you can even buy multiple drinks on a single swipe. I noticed the machines behind the Potato Patch, across from the Turtle Whirl as well as one of the machines near the Off-Road Rally and One Room School House. Soda prices are $3.25, some of the juices and sports drinks were priced higher.

Opening Day Report

The castle gates opened yesterday to kick off Dutch Wonderland's 49th season. Cloudy skies and less than favorable temperatures kept away the large crowds, but a small, enthusiastic group turned out to be among the first to visit Duke and Co. this year.

The park looked great. Everything was in working order, the Sky Ride was the only ride that was down. In areas where flowers have not yet bloomed, large planters were temporarily placed.

Inside the castle entrance, construction is moving along nicely on Merlin's, Dutch Wonderland's first full service restaurant:

Outside and behind the castle, the space most recently known as The Castle Cafe has been fully enclosed and work continues on Three Amigos Mexican Grill:

Another big change is over at the Shooting Gallery building in the center of the park. The Shooting Gallery itself has been reduced to about 1/4 the size of it's former self and a new retail space has been added. The merchandise in this unnamed space is comprised mostly of clearance items and stuff from the now retired "other side" of the Castle Gift Shop. There also appears to be an attempt to piggy back off the Western theme of the Shooting Gallery with a few cowboy toys as well.

It's kind of sad to see their classic Shooting Gallery reduced in size, but it was a lot of prime real estate dedicated to an add-on attraction that probably doesn't bring in a great amount of money.

Bookmark Us! And check back later in the week - we'll show you some more changes around the park, plus the skinny on beverages and some updates to the Entertainment Venues.

DW Home Videos 1987

YouTube user BorgonNugentMemory recently uploaded a half hour of home videos taken at Dutch Wonderland in the Summer of 1987. The video is posted in three different parts with the first video clocking in at 15 minutes. You might want to skim through it, but there is definatly some good stuff tucked inside this video.

Some highlights to notice/keep an eye out for:

• The parking lot is laid out differently.
• The old court yard area, had more of a mini-Main Street feel.
• There is an ice cream stand where the Potato Patch now sits.
• The area where the Leapin' Frogs is now situated there were some Smurf figures and a mushroom house.
• Plenty of footage of the Picnic Grounds inside the park and the Old Woman in the Shoe slide.
• The Saturn Rocket and the Spaceman in the Space Section.
• The log boat ride in the front of the park has animals, a windmill and no mountain.
• The Old 99 Train Ride. (What a great ride!)
• The Dutch Wonderland uniforms of 1987.
• A giant walk-around Rooster character.
• Lady Gay Riverboat and some of the International landmarks in the Botanical Gardens.

Wheel of Wonderland

Lancaster's FM 97 WLAN is running of Wheel of Wonderland promotion. Listen to Hit Music Station for a chance to win one of three great prize packages from DW. Prizes include park tickets, souvenir mugs and all day Cabana rentals.

Celebration Theatre

It appears Thomas The Tank Engine has chugged out of Dutch Wonderland for the 2012 season. (If your kids really want to see him, he's now appearing at not-too-distant Idlewild Park.) The Really Useful Theatre has been redubbed the Celebration Theatre and will host a lineup of shows that changes throughout the Summer season.

At first glance it looks as if DW has added three new shows, but Celebration Theatre will be the venue for a parade of stars visiting the park in 2012.

Here's a rundown of the schedule in order of appearance:

• April 28 - June 1  Swingin' Safari
• June 2 - June 15  Superstar Funfest: Curious George
• June 16 - June 29  Superstar Funfest: Clifford The Big Red Dog
• June 30 - Aug. 3  Garfield The Great and Friends Magic Show
• Aug. 4 - 17  Superstar Funfest: Maisy
• Aug 18 - 31 Superstar Funfest: Max (from Max & Ruby)
• Sep. 1 - Oct. 7  Swingin' Safari

Extra Entertainment in May

Dutch Wonderland announces two additions to the entertainment schedule for the weekend of May 5th and 6th, 2012.

On Saturday May 5th, the Cocalico Middle School 6th Grade Chorus from Denver, PA will perform at 12:30pm in the Amphitheater.

Sunday May 6th will mark the return of the Carol Ann School of Dance for their 8th season performing in the park. The troupe travels from Southampton, PA and performs at 11:30am (presumably also in the Amphitheater.)

You can expect larger than normal early-season crowds this weekend.

Castle Construction Update

There's plenty of activity inside Brooke's Castle before the park opens in a few weeks. On a recent visit to the Season Pass Office, we snapped a few pictures of some of the progress just beyond the castle drawbridge...

There will be a whole new view when guests enter the castle this year. On the right hand side of the picture, covered by the tarp, is the gift shop. Just beyond the retail area is a new room. On the other side, what once housed more retail space is now taking shape to become Merlin's - Dutch Wonderland's first full service restaurant.

You can see at the far end of the hallway, a new yellow room is making it's debut where just a wall stood before...

...Not sure exactly what this room will be yet. It looks like cubby holes, which is a doubtful addition. Perhaps these are display units for merchandise?

On the other side of the hallway, construction is still moving forward on Merlin's. The restaurant is scheduled to open at the beginning of the Summer and it looks like they've still got quite a way to go. The new restaurant will give guests the opportunity to dine inside the castle in what promises to be a themed dining experience.

It certain looks like there will be plenty of new surprises just inside the castle alone when the park opens for the 2012 season. It make you wonder what other surprises Duke has planned inside the park...

Dutch Wonderland 2012 Begins April 28

Dutch Wonderland's 2012 season kicks off Satruday April 28th! The park opens at 10:00am both Saturday and Sunday. Opening Day festivities will include live performances by Jim Rule! See you there!