Dutch Wonderland

Location: Lancaster, PA
Official Debut: 1963

Roller Coasters
Joust
Kingdom Coaster
Merlin's Mayhem

Thrill Rides

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park, founded in 1963 by a potato farmer-turned owner of the Congress Inn motel, is located in Lancaster, PA. With no amusement park experience, Earl Clark started with 14 acres of land and 4 rides: The Wonderland Special Train, The Lady Gay Riverboat, The Turnpike with Antique Cars, and Whale Boats. In 1965, Mr. Clark expanded the park and purchased 54 more acres. The new space allowed for new attractions to be added. In 1968 the line-up included attractions such as the Botanical Gardens, Monorail, Sky Ride, Big Slide, Moon Walk, The Dolphin Show, Twin Theatres of the Wonderland Cinema and Old Mill Stream Camping Manor. There was definitely something for everyone in the family at Dutch Wonderland!

In 1977, Dutch Wonderland adds their Log Flume ride to the park. Then in 1982, the park added three more rides; the Carousel, Ferris Wind Mill and The Great American High Dive Show to their attraction list, continuing to build their repertoire as a great family park.

The 1990’s finds Dutch Wonderland enhancing the park more by complementing the park by adding a roller coaster. In 1992, the Sky Princess Roller Coaster, which was renamed Kingdom Coaster in 2007, debuts. Sadly, in 1993, Earl Clark, the founder of Dutch Wonderland, passed away. However, the park continued to grow steadily. With the addition of several other flat rides, water rides, and a Halloween Event PLUS another roller coaster in 1998 called the Joust Family Coaster, the 1990’s was a decade of growth for Dutch Wonderland.

In 2001, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company purchased Dutch Wonderland. As a Hershey company, they continued to build the park as a great family destination! More rides were added to the park in addition to having a “Princess Brooke of Dutch of Wonderland”. They have expanded and make quite a “splash’ with a water-play area called Duke’s Lagoon and they have also trademarked a new logo “A Kingdom For Kids!” for advertising. They added many new live shows and winter holiday event. For several years running Dutch Wonderland has been voted “One of the Top 5 Best Kids’ Parks in the World” by Amusement Today magazine!

In 2010, Hershey sold the park to Palace Entertainment and they are proud to have it among their holdings. The park holds a great deal in store for everyone in the family and is worth the trip.