SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The Lehigh Valley’s newest roller coaster finally has arrived.
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for Iron Menace, the Northeast's first-ever "dive" roller coaster, which features a 95-degree, 152-feet drop.
The event really was more of a bolt-cutting ceremony — Dorney Public Relations and Communications Manager Ryan Eldredge used a bolt cutter to cut a chain on a rusty gate, honoring the ride’s industrial theme.
"We wanted to make sure it was rooted in the Lehigh Valley and the unique industrial paranormal history that is in the area.”Clayton Lawrence, Corporate Creative Producer at Dorney Park’s parent company Cedar Fair Entertainment
“Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is the place to be in 2024,” Eldredge said to a crowd of media and local officials in attendance.
Located at the site of the former Stinger roller coaster, the entire surrounding area has been redesigned to resemble an abandoned steel mill — an homage to Bethlehem Steel and other industrial facilities in the Lehigh Valley.
“When we envisioned the new thrill ride for Dorney Park, we knew we needed to design a completely unique experience to the Northeast,” said Clayton Lawrence, corporate creative producer at Dorney Park’s parent company Cedar Fair Entertainment.
“And in doing so we wanted to make sure it was rooted in the Lehigh Valley and the unique industrial paranormal history that is in the area.”
Dorney General Manager Jessica Naderman said she could not give the project’s exact cost, but said it was a multi-million-dollar investment.
Naderman said adding together the cost of building the roller coaster and redesigning the surrounding area makes it the most expensive project the park has ever done.
The ride will open to the public at its Iron Menace Ride for a Cause event from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday. Philadelphia Eagles Safety Reed Blankenship will attend and host a Q&A.
What it’s like to ride
The coaster, designed by manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, is the fourth-tallest ride at the park, at 161.67 feet. The ride lasts 90 seconds, with a top speed of 64 mph.
Riders are positioned above the track, harnessed in seats but with no surrounding cart or floor under their feet.
Speakers on the bottom of the track play eerie music and a monologue from a fictional greedy steel baron from the 1900s, Hiram S. McTavish, when the ride begins.
McTavish continues to speak as riders approach the drop pause for three seconds at the very top of the hill — feet dangling while looking down at the 95-degree drop they’re about to face.
“When you get up there and hang, it just feels like eternity, even though it’s only three seconds."Dorney Vice President and General Manager Jessica Naderman
It was difficult to make out what McTavish was saying among the nervous chatter of riders and the clanking sound of the car moving up the hill, but it did not sound comforting.
Then comes what Naderman described as the “star” of the ride.
“When you get up there and hang, it just feels like eternity, even though it’s only three seconds," she said. "Then the drop is amazing."
Next is the Immelmann maneuver, which takes riders into a half-loop followed by a half twist. The ride’s Zero G-Roll then gives riders a feeling of weightlessness while twisting 360 degrees.
The train then enters a Tilted Loop, or a vertical loop at an angle. According to Dorney, it's the first-ever dive coaster with a tilted loop.
Finishing the ride is a flat spin, which sends riders spinning through a corkscrew element.
Despite the many twists, turns and upside-down elements, the ride feels smooth and is unlikely to give those prone to neck pain and nausea any trouble.
The coaster’s backstory
Iron Menace’s backstory features McTavish.
The story goes that he mistreated his workers, then mysteriously disappeared, leaving the steel mill to rust and crumble.
The ride itself is meant to represent a massive steel halter, and 95-degree drop at the beginning simulates getting dumped into a blast furnace.
Lawrence said the process of designing the ride and the surrounding area has taken about two years. He said it all started with writing a back story.
“The back story just allows everyone, both writers and non-writers, to feel and experience together and explore and have a sense of wonder about an attraction,” Lawrence said.
The area around the coaster has been redecorated based on the back story, with rusted metal pieces, dark greenery and discarded worker’s gloves and boots.
Lawrence said the team worked to make the area feel as much like an old steel mill as possible.
“We do a lot of research trips, learn about the area and different building materials and textures,” Lawrence said. “So that way, when we start to finalize our design, everything is authentic.”
The paranormal industrial feel continues throughout the ride’s entrance — even the ride’s operators are dressed as ghoulish steel workers.
A haunted house called The Ghost in the Machine is located just beyond the ride. It debuted at this year’s Halloween Haunt.
The adjacent ride, Cedar Creek Flyers, was renamed MT Buckets and redesigned to match the theming, but the ride experience remains the same.
Naderman said Dorney Park does not have any concrete ideas for its next big project, but it likely also will involve theming and redesigning certain areas of the park.
“We know our audience wants immersive experiences,” Naderman said. “So look for us to continue to invest in comfort like shade, comfortable seating and chairs with seat backs, as well as rich storylines.”
Dorney Park will hold Preseason Preview Days April 27-28 and May 4-5. The park will officially open May 10.
