ALLENTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Thrill-seekers can soon venture to Dorney Park for a new roller coaster with a steep drop and a steel-inspired backstory.
Dorney Park is welcoming its newest heart-racing installation called Iron Menace. The 160-foot-tall rust-colored attraction catches your eye well before you enter the park.
And for first-time rider Chris Gillis, Iron Menace’s 95-degree drop was quite the thrill.
“That was scary, I’m not gonna lie,” he said. “It was a little freaky. My body’s not formed back yet.”
The ride is Dorney’s first new roller coaster since 2005 and is placed in the Steelyards area of the park. Ken Parks, creative director for Dorney’s parent company Cedar Fair, says the theme runs deeper than just ironwork.
“We found there were a lot of ghost stories that happened in the steel industry,” he said.
Dorney’s PR manager Ryan Eldredge says the park wants to continue incorporating lore into the ride experience.
“This is really our first foray into a concerted effort to just theme,” he said. “I think it’ll inform our decision-making moving forward. I think you’ll see more of it here at Dorney Park.”
American Coaster Enthusiasts member Cliff Herring, who calls Dorney his home park, says the ride is a new thrill.
“It gives you a different sensation and it’s not a cookie cutter from any of the other rides in the park, or actually the whole Northeast,” he said.
Iron Menace first opens to the public for a charity event on Friday. The park season begins on May 10.