Cedar Fair has revealed a pair of new roller coasters coming to its parks in 2024.
Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania last received an all-new coaster in 2005. Next year, that drought will finally be ended with Iron Menace, a 160-foot-tall dive coaster from Swiss coaster firm Bolliger & Mabillard.
The ride will be a compact dive coaster, similar to the recently-built Dr. Diabolical’s Challenger at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Emperor at SeaWorld San Diego. Iron Menace, however, will be taller, faster (64 mph), and sport more inversions with four, while being shorter at 2,169 feet.
Iron Menace’s first drop will be 95 degrees (Dorney Park)
In typical dive coaster fashion, riders will be held at the top of the first drop for a moment before plunging 95 degrees.
“The Northeast’s first dive roller coaster is one of the largest capital investments in park history,” Jessica Naderman, vice president and general manager of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, said in a press release. “With an exciting backstory that loosely connects riders to our area’s rich industrial roots, Iron Menace will become the eighth thrilling roller coaster at the park, bolstering what has been an impressive lineup for well over a decade. Our coaster lineup – along with our all-inclusive water park, Planet Snoopy kids’ area, great shows, dining and more – make Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom a must-visit family destination in 2024.”
Aerial view of Iron Menace (Dorney Park)
The ride’s backstory, according to a Dorney Park press release, revolves around a sinister invention called the Iron Menance built by a since-vanish Scottish steel mill owner named Hiram S. McTavish. The press release asked, “Will you learn what happened to McTavish? Will you even emerge from the mill? Or will you become part of the mill’s mysterious legacy?”
In Mason, Ohio, another Cedar Fair park, Kings Island, will be debuting a new kids’ area, Camp Snoopy, headlined by the park’s 15th roller coaster, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers.
Rendering of Snoopy Soap Box Racers (Kings Island)
The new coaster is a Vekoma Family Boomerang. The 672-foot-long, 75-foot-tall family coaster will hit a top speed of 37 mph.
This coaster model had previously only been built in Europe. Kings Island is the second U.S. installation announced this month, after Good Gravy at Holiday World.
Along with the new coaster, Camp Snoopy will include a nature-themed play area and summer camp-style activities with Peanuts characters called Beagle Scout Acres.