Photo Update - Grand Opening Weekend

We were at Dutch Wonderland just about every week for the 2011 & 2012 season, then we took two years off while we welcomed another addition to our family. Our last visit was Happy Hauntings last year, so I'm not sure how much of what looked new to me is totally new or I just missed it last October but he're some pics I snapped at yesterday's Grand Opening for the 52nd Season:

At 10:00 they made an announcement and shot confetti cannons off! I missed it by 45 seconds while I was stuck buying a guest ticket on my season pass.

Here's the park's new ride, Bon Voyage Balloon Chase:

The announcements over the speaker while waiting in the queue had a girl with a French accent and said bonjour and mercy. I thought that was a nice touch. There are other themed announcements at other rides that I don't recall being there before, like a mission control announcement at the space simulator rides and a wizard at the Dragon's Lair.

They moved Bosie the Cow across the railroad tracks and closer to the barn. A bench and some flowers fills the space where Bosie stood for a long time!

Sad to see the wobbly bridge across the pond in the front of the park has been removed. It was always tradition for us to cross the bride after taking the train around the park. Not only has the bridge and any indication of the bridge been removed...

...foot traffic has been rerouted to the railroad crossing and fencing prevents you from crossing the railroad tracks at any point other than the crossing. The changes do make for some nice seating space in the front by the food stands.

The Nathan's stand in the front of the park where the PA Kosher Mart used to be was not ready for opening weekend. (Neither was the Subway)

In the background you can spot a duck who has decided to make it's nest near this dinosaur neat of eggs.

The Gondola Cruise (nor the Tugboat) were operating on opening day.

I like this little secluded seating area on Exploration Island that has been created near the site of the old Windmill Ferris Wheel.

Busy afternoon on the island. This might be one of my new favorite spots in the park.

We caught a performance of Really Royal at the Storytime Corner. The show had my 2 year old princess completely captivated!

New structure on the path heading over to Duke's Lagoon. Based on it's neighbors, I would assume this will be used for a game.

There was nothing in bloom in the flower bed at the old Turnpike site.

The birthday party room inside the park is now a third Breyer's Ice Cream location. There is seating inside however, there are not names on the ice cream. There were maybe 8 tubs of ice cream in the cooler but none of them identified. Most of the flavors were in the chocolate family, so it wad basically several different shades of brown. My wife had a Cookies and Cream as that was the only identifiable  flavor.

While we are on be subject of odd things, there was also Christmas Music playing from the Sky Ride station and we had some disagreement on my daughter being allowed on the Silo Slide because of her height...or lack of. 

But all in all we had another Dutch Wonderful day and I'll leave you with a shot of DW's very own Backside of Water: