Dorney Park Invests $3 Million For Park Improvements

Allentown, PA -- Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom adds a new thrill ride and rebuilds an outdoor theater for the 2002 season. These additions, along with other improvements, represent $3 million of the more than $60 million in capital investments at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in the last five years.

Meteor screams across the skies of Dorney Park in 2002. This all-new thrill ride is the latest addition to the Park's list of extreme scream machines. Riders on Meteor are secured in bright yellow, orange and red seats that are suspended from two bright blue arms. After the floor disappears below their feet, Meteor thrusts riders 65 feet into the air, inverting riders with nothing but air between their feet and the sky. The two swinging arms, each with 24 seats, continue in a circular motion that shoots riders back down into Meteor's crater before blasting them up again.

Guests are seated face-to-face the entire time and travel in two directions, half travel forward and half travel backward. Meteor then changes its course so all riders travel in the opposite direction before their feet touch the Earth again.

Amusement rides manufacturer, Zamperla, Inc. of Vicenza, Italy, is the creator of this exciting new attraction. Located near the White Water Landing flume ride and Hercules roller coaster, Meteor makes impact at Dorney Park in May of 2002.

Dorney Park is also committed to providing entertainment that everyone in the family can enjoy. Guests who prefer to keep their feet planted more firmly on the ground can enjoy all the glamour and glitter of a live show at the newly rebuilt Center Stage Theater in 2002.

The existing Center Stage Theater has vanished and a dazzling new outdoor venue shines in its place. Located next to the Dominator thrill ride, the same location as the previous performance site, the new larger stage faces the opposite direction of its forerunner and allows for more elaborate productions.

The audience at Center Stage enjoys the live song and dance of Shout (May 4 - October 27), Jump, Jive & Jam (June 8 - August 18) and Dance to the Music (June 28 - August 18), three new shows at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom for the 2002 season. Improvements also include an expanded seating area that provides a better view of the show on a naturally inclined landscape.

"We are pleased with the reaction of our guests to recent Park improvements," states John Albino, Vice President and General Manager. "The 2002 season will continue to reinforce Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom's reputation as a family-friendly entertainment complex with state-of-the-art thrills."

In addition to Meteor and the rebuilt Center Stage Theater, the $3 million Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom capital improvements for 2002 also include midway renovations, a new Tilt-a-Whirl ride, and another new live show location.